Reaction of OH Radicals with Nucleic Acid Bases—An E.S.R. Study

Abstract
The reactions of OH radicals with nucleic acid bases have been studied in aqueous solutions at pH 1 using electron-spin-resonance spectroscopy. It was found that the pyrimidine bases were more reactive than the purines and free radical products could only be detected in the pyrimidines. In thymine, cytosine and uracil, the OH radical added to the 5, 6 double bond. This confirms the conclusions of previous radiation chemical studies by other authors.