Biochemistry - The Chemical Reactions of Living Cells, Volume 2 - D. Metzler 1980

Biosynthesis: How New Molecules Are Formed
Polyprenyl (Isoprenoid) Compounds
Polyprenyl Side Chains

Polyprenyl derivatives include the side chains of such biologically important compounds as vitamin K, ubiquinones, plastoquinones, tocopherols, and the phytyl group of chlorophyll. In the synthesis of these structures, a polyprenyl alcohol in the form of a pyrophosphate ester serves as the alkyl group donor in all cases. The Introduction of the polyprenyl chain into aromatic groups, such as the aromatic groups of Quinones (Fig. 10–8), occurs at the *ortho* position relative to the hydroxyl group in the reduced quinone (hydroquinone). The reader should be able to independently describe The Mechanism of pyrophosphate Cleavage and the involvement of the hydroxyl group in this process. It cannot be ruled out, however, that the decarboxylation of the precursor is coupled with a Condensation reaction [90] (Chapter 14, Section E, 4).



Last update: 06/08/2026

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