Abstract
Betalains are vacuolar plant pigments that interact selectively with cell membranes and show biological activity. These pigments are produced by the spontanous aldiminic coupling of amines and betalamic acid, an unstable and fluorogenic ±,²-unsaturated aldehyde. Obtaining of this precursor allows the semi-sinthesis, i.e., the partial synthesis, of natural and artificial betalaines, allowi…