http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/Ornithine_decarboxylase_mechanism.png

The carbonyl-catalyzed decarboxylation of amino acids -- especially tryptophan -- is well-known. Usually people use acetone or menthol

Show us the reference where acetone is use to decarboxylate amino acids please.

......here are some evidence provided to me.........java


http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=3544

Quote

    Decarboxylation of Tryptophan in Tetralin With a Ketone Catalyst4
     L- or DL-Tryptophan (102.1 g, 0.5 mol) was suspended in tetralin (250 ml) containing acetone (2.9g, 0.5 moles) and the mixture was heated to reflux for 8-10 hours with vigorous stirring until no more carbon dioxide was evolved and the reaction mixture became clear. The solvent was removed under vacuum, and the residue was distilled under reduced pressure to give a yellow crystalline solid, bp 140-155°C at 0.25 mmHg. This was recrystallized from boiling benzene to afford faint yellow prisms, mp 116-117.5°C (lit 115-117°C).

     The yield with acetone as catalyst was 75%, methyl ethyl ketone 84.4%, 3-pentanone 85% and 2-pentanone 86.2%.

NoteThere was a problem of  not stating using acetone (as a ketone source) in a high boiling solvent (tetralin) by the poster ....so doubts  and flaming occurred.....so please check your posts and avoid flaming.....java

Reference Information


A General Mechanism for Vitamin B6-catalyzed Reactions
David E. Metzler, Miyoshi Ikawa, Esmond E. Snell
J. Am. Chem. Soc.
1954, 76 (3), pp 648–652
Publication Date: February 1954 (Article)
DOI: 10.1021/ja01632a004




Analytical characterisation of the routes by thermolytic decarboxylation from tryptophan to tryptamine using ketone catalysts, resulting in tetrahydro-?-carboline formation
Simon D. Brandta, David Mansellb, Sally Freemanb, Ian A. Fleetc,
Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis
Volume 41, Issue 3, 7 June 2006, Pages 872–882
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpba.2006.02.007

"Decarboxylation of Tryptophan in Tetralin With a Ketone Catalyst4

L- or DL-Tryptophan (102.1 g, 0.5 mol) was suspended in tetralin (250 ml) containing acetone (2.9g, 0.5 moles) and the mixture was heated to reflux for 8-10 hours with vigorous stirring until no more carbon dioxide was evolved and the reaction mixture became clear. The solvent was removed under vacuum, and the residue was distilled under reduced pressure to give a yellow crystalline solid, bp 140-155°C at 0.25 mmHg. This was recrystallized from boiling benzene to afford faint yellow prisms, mp 116-117.5°C (lit 115-117°C).

The yield with acetone as catalyst was 75%, methyl ethyl ketone 84.4%, 3-pentanone 85% and 2-pentanone 86.2%."

.....source,

http://www.erowid.org/archive/rhodium/chemistry/tryptophan.html

Ref. S. Takano, Efficient Synthesis of Tryptamine, Heterocycles 6(, 1167-1171 (1977)

......generalization of any procedure is on a trial and test basis, until someone documents other amino acids functioning similar...so experimenting is king .....it's what we do....java

Note: PLP (Pyridoxal Phosphate)acts as a coenzyme in all transamination reactions, and in some decarboxylation and deamination reactions of amino acids

.....so again our original poster made some errors ...hence use caution when posting and be clear in your statements they may surely come back to hunt you.....

here's a relevant thread.
http://127.0.0.1/talk/index.php/topic,321.msg23874.html#msg23874

heavy mineral oil is another approach, no catalyst necessary. the advantage is no cyclization, disadvantage is low yield. others have had some success with just naphthalene, or acetophenone.

this chromatogram shows sigma tryptamine standard (> 98%) in the first injection, and tryptamine product obtained following mineral oil reflux in the second injection. note: cyclized products are also known as tryptolines, and would appear in the 170 - 200 mass range, +1.
http://i.imgur.com/oelMo.png

column: Waters Acquity C18, 100um i.d.
sample injection: 5 uL, ~ 1mg/mL
mobile phase: A - 0.1% FA in H20, B - 0.1% FA in ACN
flowrate: 30 uL/min
gradient:0-20 min, 20% B, 20-50min, 100% B; 50-60min, 100% B; 60-80min, 20% B
column temp: 25C
detection: ESI, 5kV, + ion mode