Alkali-promoted Yellowing of Wool. Yellow Degradation Products from a Model for Protein-bound Cystine

NN”-Diacetyl-L-cystine bismethylamide reproduces faithfully the known alkali-promoted chemistry of cystine in wool and becomes bright yellow in the process. It is suggested that two minor, labile, but intensely yellow components of the product mixture, N-methylthiopyruvamide and one or more polysulphides, are analogues of the elusive pigments in the yellowing of wool under similar conditions