Determination of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactose and mechanism of formation of chromogens.

A method for the colorimetric determination of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactose was developed. The procedure is based on the high reactivity of the aldehyde group of this amidosugar with pentane-2,4-dione in anhydrous alkaline conditions. The product of reaction was crystallized and the structure 1-C-acetonyl-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactitol was deduced from chemical evidence. When the N-acetyl group of this compound is split off by hydrolysis, the formation of pyrrole groups ensues by condensation of the free amino group with the carbonyl group of the chain at C-1. 2-Methylpyrrole was isolated by steam distillation after mild alkaline hydrolysis and estimated by reaction with p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde. A more complex pyrrole is formed during acid hydrolysis under the conditions used in the direct Ehrlich reaction.