ESR Studies on the Formation of Sulfur Radicals in Irradiated Cysteine, Glutathione, and Djenkolic Acid

Abstract

The formation of sulfur radicals in irradiated cysteine, reduced glutathione, and djenkolic acid has been followed by qualitative and quantitative ESR measurements. In these compounds sulfur radicals are induced as the results of secondary processes, which are observed as time‐dependent spectral changes. For the compounds under investigation these secondary reactions occur at different temperature levels. Thus, they proceed efficiently in cysteine at 193°K, in glutathione at room temperature, whereas for djenkolic acid, temperatures of about 100°C seem to be necessary. The results show that this formation of sulfur radicals may be described by a sum of first‐order reactions.