Reductive methylation of proteins with sodium cyanoborohydride. Identification, suppression and possible uses of N-cyanomethyl by-products.

Reductive methylation of protein amino groups with formaldehyde and sodium cyanoborohydride is shown to give up to 25% yield of N-cyanomethyl (-CH2CN) product; on work up of the reaction this is hydrolysed back to starting amine, lowering the methylation yield. Addition of metal ions such as Ni2+, which complex with free cyanide ion, improve reductive methylation yields by suppressing by-product formation. The N-cyanomethyl group itself, produced in good yield when cyanide ion replaces cyanoborohydride, may have some value as a reversible modifier of amino groups in proteins.