Tyrosine attack by free radicals derived from catalytic decomposition of carbon tetrachloride

The interaction between free radicals derived from the catalytic decomposition of carbon tetrachloride and tyrosine (the N-acetyl tyrosine ethyl ester, ATEE) under anaerobic and aerobic conditions was studied. The structure of the reaction products formed was desciphered by the GLC/MS analysis of their trimethylsilyl derivatives. Under anaerobic conditions the formation of the following products was found: (1) an unsaturated derivative of the amino acid; (2) the trimethylsilyl derivative of N-acetyl chloro tyrosine ethyl ester; (3) a hydroxyl adduct of ATEE ; (4) an ATEE adduct having a chlorine and a CCl₃ group in the molecule (it is suggested that CCl₃ is attached to the benzyl carbon and the chlorine located in the benzene ring); (5) an ATEE adduct having only a CCl₃ group tentatively assigned to be located on the benzyl carbon; and (6) and (7) were found to be two isomers of an ATEE having one CCl₃ on the aromatic ring. Under aerobic conditions the following reaction products were identified: Two products which were similar to those numbered (1) and (2) and formed anaerobically; (8) and (11) two isomeric dichlorinated adducts of ATEE; (9) and (10) two isomeric dichlorinated monohydroxylated derivatives of ATEE. Concerning the potential relevance of these findings, we consider that if similar interactions to those here reported occurred during CCl₄ poisoning, the activity of enzymes having tyrosine in their active center might result in impairment. Further, enzymes operating on tyrosine moieties in proteins might be perturbed in their action if tyrosine groups were attacked by the free radicals arising from catalytic decomposition of CCl₄ evidenced here.