Synthesis of 14C‐labelled methylglyoxal and S‐D‐lactoylglutathione

Abstract [2‐ 14 C]Methylglyoxal and S‐D‐[2‐ 14 C]lactoylglutathione were synthesised from [2‐ 14 C]acetone. Acetone was oxidised to methylglyoxal by selenium dioxide and was purified by distillation (yield: 23% based on acetone). Methylglyoxal was converted to S‐D‐lactoylglutathione by reaction with reduced glutathione catalysed by glyoxalase I (EC 4.4.1.5). S‐D‐Lactoylglutathione was purified by anion exchange chromatography on Dowex 1 (yield: 82%, based on methylglyoxal).