The reaction of pyridine nucleotide with cyanide and its analytical use.

In 1938, Meyerhof, Ohlmeyer, and Mohle (1) reported that diphosphopyridine nucleotide (DPN) reacted with cyanide or bisulfite to form complexes having absorption spectra resembling that obtained by enzymatic reduction of DPN. They proposed that addition of cyanide or bisulfite occurred at the double bond between nitrogen and carbon in the pyridinium ring. In the present paper, it is shown that the ability to form a complex with cyanide is a general property of N-substituted nicotinamide compounds.