A new surfactant series, the N-alkylamino-1-deoxylactitols: application for extraction of 'op' opiate receptors from frog brain.

A new series of surfactants, the N-alkylamino-1-deoxylactitols, was prepared and employed to extract 'op' opiate receptors from frog brain. These surfactants are both cheap and convenient to prepare. Receptors were reproducibly extracted in a good yield using N-nonylamino-1-deoxylactitol. This derivative, which was not denaturing during the extraction process, could thus be used instead of the more costly digitonin, whose rather variable purity affects yield.