Preliminary studies on the effects of copper, iron and manganese ions on the degradation of 3‐indolylmethylglucosinolate (a constituent of Brassica spp.) by myrosinase

Copper (I and II) and iron (II and III) ions had qualitatively similar effects on the degradation of radiolabelled 3‐indolylmethylglucosinolate. In the presence of myrosinase they increased the production of 3‐indolylacetonitrile (IAN) largely at the expense of ascorbigen (ASC). With the addition of these metal ions the ratio of IAN to the products of the alternative pathways (3,3′‐diindolylmethane, ASC and formaldehyde) decreased as the pH increased from 4 to 7. These ions also led to a small increase in the non‐enzymic production of IAN.