LABORATORY OF THE
INSTITUTE FOR MUSCLE RESEARCH
AT THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY
Woops HOoLe, MASSACHUSETTS
02543

ALBERT SZENT-GYORGYI, M. D.. PH. D.
TEL.; FALMOUTH 548-3705

AREA CobE: 617 May 15, 1969

Dr. J. Lederberg
Department of Genetics
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Dear Dr. Lederberg:

| have never worked on or given thoughts to hypochlorite.
| have considered with my patent only chlorine which | expect
will simply be reduced by ascorbic acid.

With the best regards and wishes,

Yours very truly,

Cs

Albert Szent-Gytrgy i
A S-G:vb

If you really mean that, your patent is vacuous, since Cl,

promptly reacts with water:
Cl, + HO ->2H+ + cl” +0oOcl.
However, I take it that the reaction of aqueous chlorine with
ascorbic acid simply hasn't been studied. I agree there is no reason

to believe that chlorine-containing organic products are made (contra
amines) but it might be worth more explicit examination.

Sincerely,

MAY 21 1969

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