L-Glutamine → L-Theanine

Participants

Reaction Steps

Glutaminase in an amount of 0.3 U per 1 ml of the buffer was added to boric acid buffer (disodium borate-sodium hydroxide, pH 11) containing 0.3 M glutamine and 1.5 M ethylamine, and the mixture was incubated at 30° C. for 22 hours to react the components. Two-hundred and twenty-five millimoles of theanine was isolated from 1 L of the reaction mixture. Incidentally, a by-product, glutamic acid, was 20 mmol. Theanine was isolated and purified from the reaction mixture by applying the reaction mixture to a Dowex 50×8, Dowex 1×2 column chromatography and eluting with ethanol.

Provenance & Evidence