A new route to "bifunctional" chelating agents: Conversion of amino acids to analogs of ethylenedinitrilotetraacetic acid

Via the amides, α-amino acids can be converted to analogs of ethylenedinitrilotetraacetic acid, with retention of configuration at the asymmetric carbon. 1-(p-Carboxymethoxybenzyl)-ethylenedinitrilotetraacetic acid has been prepared from l-tyrosine and then coupled as the iron(III) chelate to 1,2-diaminoethane or to human serum albumin. The iron(III) chelate is effective in preventing EDTA carboxyl groups from reacting via carbodiimide coupling with amino groups. After the coupling reaction, iron is readily removed from the chelate upon reduction with ascorbate. These new procedures possess several attractive features for the use of "bifunctional" chelating agents in biophysical studies.