Question

Draw the product obtained when a lysine side chain in a polypeptide reacts with maleic anhydride.

Short answer

There are 20 naturally occurring amino acids. Some different classifications of amino acids include acidic and basic amino acids. Lysine and arginine are basic amino acids that comprise two basic nitrogen-containing groups.

Step-by-step solution

Amino acids

There are 20 naturally occurring amino acids. Some different classifications of amino acids include acidic and basic amino acids. Lysine and arginine are basic amino acids that comprise two basic nitrogen-containing groups.

The product obtained when a lysine side chain in a polypeptide reacts with maleic anhydride

Lysine is a basic amino acid comprising a nitrogen group. Hence, it can react with an electrophilic position by providing the lone pair on the basic nitrogen.

The mechanism of lysine with maleic anhydride is given below.