| Description |
N,N-Dimethylglycine (DMG) is a N-methylated product of the amino acid glycine. It is found in beans and liver. It is used in comparative analysis with other N-methylated glycines. N,N-Dimethylglycine is used in the development of glycine-based ionic liquids and emulsifiers, and as a substrate to identify, differentiate and characterize amino acid methyltransferase(s). It can be used also as an athletic performance enhancer, immunostimulant, and to treat autism, epilepsy, or mitochondrial disease. N,N-Dimethylglycine is potentially useful as a biomarker of protein degradation in COPD patients. |
| References |
J. K. Kern, V. S. Miller, L. Cauller, R. Kendall, J. Mehta, M. Dodd, Effectiveness of N,N-Dimethylglycine in Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Journal of Child Neurology, 2001, vol. 16, pp. 169-173 |
| Description |
Dimethyl glycine (DMG) is a derivative of the amino acid glycine with the structural formula (CH3)2NCH2COOH. It can be found in beans and liver. It can be formed from trimethylglycine upon the loss of one of its methyl groups. It is also a byproduct of the metabolism of choline.
When DMG was first discovered, it was referred to as vitamin B16, but, unlike true B vitamins, deficiency of DMG in the diet does not lead to any ill-effects meaning it does not meet the definition of a vitamin. |
| Chemical Properties |
white to slightly yellow crystalline powder |
| Uses |
Dimethylglycine has been suggested for use as an athletic performance enhancer, immunostimulant, and a treatment for autism, epilepsy, or mitochondrial disease . Published studies on the subject have shown little to no difference between DMG treatment and placebo in autism spectrum disorders. |
| Preparation |
N,N-Dimethylglycine is commercially available as the free form amino acid, and as the hydrochloride salt [2491-06-7 ]. DMG may be prepared by the alkylation of glycine via the Eschweiler–Clarke reaction. In this reaction, glycine is treated with aqueous formaldehyde in formic acid that serves as both solvent and reductant. Hydrochloric acid is added thereafter to give the hydrochloride salt. The free amino acid may been obtained by neutralization of the acid salt, which has been performed with silver oxide.
H2NCH2COOH + 2 CH2O + 2 HCOOH →(CH3)2NCH2COOH + 2 CO2 + 2 H2O. |
| Definition |
ChEBI: An N-methylglycine that is glycine carrying two N-methyl substituents. |
