E.S.R. of sulphur-substituted purines and nucleosides; carbon-centred radicals in mercaptopurine crystals at 77 K

Single crystals of the sulphur-containing DNA-base analogue 6-methylmercaptopurine (6MeMP) and its riboside 6-methylmercaptopurine riboside (6MeMPR) have been prepared and irradiated by 4·0 MeV electrons at 77 K. Electron spin resonance techniques have been used to study the radiation-induced radicals at 77 K. The primary carbon-centred radical, common to both molecules, has been identified as a species formed by hydrogen atom abstraction from the methyl group. The principal values of the two α-proton hyperfine coupling tensors and the g-tensors were almost the same for both molecules and for 6MeMPR were: α1, -28·8, -17·9 and -6·4 G; α2, -28·2, -15·7 and -9·8 G; and g, 2·0063, 2·0024 and 2·0018. These data indicate a spin density of 0·77 on the methyl carbon atom. Molecular orbitals determined from CNDO/2 methods were used in calculations of the directions and magnitude of the g-tensor principal values. Comparison of these calculated values and experimental data suggests that contribution of spin density in d-orbitals on the sulphur atom is important in describing the g-tensor. Methyl H-abstraction radicals trapped in pairs were also detected in 6MeMP and the data are consistent with an effective interspin distance of 4·67 Å.