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Strecker Synthesis of Amino Acids

June 14, 2016 By Leah4sci

Strecker Synthesis of Alpha Amino Acids Leah4sciStrecker Synthesis is one of the first laboratory methods for synthesizing an alpha amino acid.

Strecker synthesis starts out with a nucleophilic addition of nitrogen to an aldehyde followed by a SECOND nucleophilic addition of cyanide (nitrile group) to the imine intermediate.

This video walks you through the overall reaction followed by a step by step breakdown of the Strecker reaction and mechanism.

(Watch on YouTube: Strecker Synthesis. Click cc on the bottom right for video transcript)

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This is video 8 in the Amino Acids Series. Click for complete series + Practice Quiz and Cheat Sheet

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Filed Under: Amino Acids Tagged With: amino acids, mcat

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