2-Aminothiazoline-4-carboxylic acid (ACTA) is the organosulfur compound and a heterocycle with the formula HO2CCHCH2SCNH2N. This derivative of thiazoline is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of L-cysteine, an amino acid. ACTA exists in equilibrium with its tautomer 2-iminothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid.

It is produced by the reaction of methyl chloroacrylate with thiourea.[1] It is also a biomarker for cyanide poisoning, as it results from the condensation of cysteine and cyanide.[2]

References

  1. ^ Karlheinz Drauz; Ian Grayson; Axel Kleemann; Hans-Peter Krimmer; Wolfgang Leuchtenberger, Christoph Weckbecker (2006). Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a02_057.pub2. ISBN 978-3527306732.
  2. ^ Logue, Brian A.; Kirschten, Nicholas P.; Petrikovics, Ilona; Moser, Matthew A.; Rockwood, Gary A.; Baskin, Steven I. (2005). "Determination of the cyanide metabolite 2-aminothiazoline-4-carboxylic acid in urine and plasma by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry". Journal of Chromatography B. 819 (2): 237–244. doi:10.1016/j.jchromb.2005.01.045. PMID 15833287.