Scientists propose anti-ethylene chemical reaction

A study at the University of California Riverside could lead to new anti-ethylene products.

A team led by chemistry professor Michael Pirrung says a chemical reaction occurs between the compound 1-methylcyclopropane (1-MCP) and naturally occurring copper in plant cells. This information could give way to new ethylene-blocking chemicals that would preserve flowers and fruits for longer than currently possible.

Until now, researchers believed that a “complex” -- a chemical structure consisting of molecules that are weakly connected to one another -- formed between 1-MCP and copper. The researchers show that 1-MCP reacts with copper to give a highly reactive chemical intermediate, called a carbine. The intermediate will react with essentially any other kind of chemical group in the area, he said.

Knowledge of this chemical reaction could help researchers design new compounds, such as non-gaseous compounds, that are capable of working as well as 1-MCP but are not as difficult to handle.

The American Floral Endowment provided funding for the study. The study was published in the April issue of Chemistry & Biology.

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For more: Michael Pirrung, University of California Riverside, (951) 827-2722.

July 2008