Reactions of OH* and eaq − with uracil and thymine in the presence of Cu(II) ions in dilute aqueous solutions: A pulse radiolysis study

The reactions of OH^* and e_aq ^? adducts of uracil and thymine with Cu(II) ions in aqueous solutions were followed by pulse radiolysis. The transient absorption spectra of the OH^* adducts of uracil when followed in the presence of Cu(II) ions show growth in absorption at wavelengths 420 and 350 nm at 15 μs and 65 μs after the pulse respectively. Similar transient absorption spectra of thymine showed growth in absorption at wavelengths 390 and 320 nm at 38 μs and 65 μs after the pulse respectively. The rates of electron transfer from the OH^* adducts of uracil and thymine to various Cu(II) compounds when monitored at 360 nm lie between 10⁶ and 10⁸ mol^?1 dm³ s^?1 this implies that the electron transfer process is not an efficient process. Low rate constants coupled with the spectral changes suggest formation of a radical copper adduct which decays by water insertion to give cis-glycols as the major product. The electron transfer from the electron adducts of uracil and thymine to various copper(II) compounds takes place more efficiently (rate constants of the order of 10⁸ and 10⁹ mol^?1 dm³ s^?1) compared with that from the OH^* adducts. The t-butanol radicals formed on scavenging the OH^* radicals also produce adducts with Cu(I) ions which are formed on oxidation of the electron adducts by Cu(II) ions. This adduct has absorption around 400 nm both in the case of uracil and thymine.