As part of a program of research on the mechanisms of catalysis by a-keto acid dioxygenases, it has been necessary for us to synthesize a variety of unusual a-keto acids for use as alternate substrates or inhibitors of these enzymes. It is convenient to prepare these compounds by the action of commercially available D-and L-amino acid oxidases on the corresponding a-amino acids, l and since an enormous number of a-amino acids have ...
