SYNTHESIS OF [1,2-C-13(2)] GLY AND [2,2-H-2(2)] GLY GLUTATHIONE

[1,2-C-13(2)] Gly and [2,2-H-2(2)] Gly isotopomers of the intracellula r tripeptide glutathione were prepared by standard methods of solution phase peptide synthesis. The synthetic products were characterized by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) and H-1 NMR spectroscopy . Optical purity was determined by hydrolysis, derivatization of the f ree amino acids with isopropanol-acetyl chloride and pentafluoropropio nic anhydride and NCI/MS with a Chirasil-Val Heliflex column. These co mpounds should serve as useful tracers for the non-invasive study of g lutathione synthesis and turnover rates in humans by GC/MS.