The synthesis of carboxymethyl derivatives of purines and pyrimidines and their condensation with naturally occurring macromolecules

1-Carboxymethylthymine, 1-carboxymethylcytosine and 9-carboxymethyladenine were obtained by the direct carboxymethylation of the appropriate bases. In addition a small amount of 3-carboxymethyladenine was obtained. 9-Carboxymethylhypoxanthine was obtained by deamination of 9-carboxymethyladenine. 1-Carboxymethyluracil, 1-carboxymethylthymine and 9-carboxymethyl-hypoxanthine were each condensed with protamine and with dextran to give water-soluble, base-substituted polymers. The 1-carboxymethylthymine-dextran showed a slow decrease in optical density at 268 nm in 2 × SSC at 20°, of 30%. This did not occur in 7M urea. 1-Carboxymethylthymine-dextran gave an additional hypochromic effect with polyadenylic acid in 2 × SSC at 4° or 14° of 13% and 9% respectively. The ratio of thymine: adenine residues at the point of maximum hypochromicity was 3:1. The other dextran derivatives did not show similar hypochromic effects. The 1-carboxy-methylthymine-protamine gave a precipitate with polyadenylic acid probably due to electrostatic interaction.