[cisz]

I ran a reaction using urea, imidazole, and n-acetyl cysteine using a microwave oven to produce n-acetyl cysteine amide.

I did tlc using urea, imidazole, NAC, and NAC amide (product as spots.

From what I've read I thought that ninhydrin would be able to make visible spots on tlc plates but, so far, on heating with a heat gun the only spot appearing is the NAC.

Help appreciated.

[AWK]

https://books.google.pl/books?id=fBCDK_Tgh10C&pg=PA531&lpg=PA531&dq=TLC+NH4HSO4&source=bl&ots=5kn5e3RVUm&sig=-m_Nd7QVH9mD0b2GoB7JQqaCAoU&hl=pl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwifj-Gz36LPAhXKuBQKHZjxD24Q6AEIHzAA#v=onepage&q=TLC%20NH4HSO4&f=false
Try spray reagent 3 or 4 (heating on hot plate)

[Babcock_Hall]

I am surprised that ninhydrin was successful, but I have been surprised before.  There is a TLC spray based on Ellman's reagent, which will detect thiol groups.

[cisz]

Vanillin?

https://books.google.pl/books?id=fBCDK_Tgh10C&pg=PA531&lpg=PA531&dq=TLC+NH4HSO4&source=bl&ots=5kn5e3RVUm&sig=-m_Nd7QVH9mD0b2GoB7JQqaCAoU&hl=pl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwifj-Gz36LPAhXKuBQKHZjxD24Q6AEIHzAA#v=onepage&q=TLC%20NH4HSO4&f=false
Try spray reagent 3 or 4 (heating on hot plate)