Conversion of nitrosobenzene to N-phenylacetohydroxamic acid by yeast pyruvate decarboxylase

In the presence of yeast enzyme concentrate or purified yeast pyruvate decarboxylase, nitrosobenzene was converted in part to N-phenylacetohydroxamic acid. This transformation had to be catalyzed by the enzyme, since the incubation of nitrosobenzene with the cofactor of pyruvate decarboxylase did not produce the hydroxamic acid. Similar incubations conducted with phenylhydroxylamine did not yield any detectable amounts of N-phenylacetohydroxamic acid.