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Radiation damage to dihydrouracil. [Electrons, uv radiation]

Journal Article · · Radiat. Res.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/3574901· OSTI ID:6454863
Single crystals of dihydrouracil, grown from D/sub 2/O solutions, were irradiated with 4.0-MeV electrons at 77/sup 0/K. Electron spin resonance techniques were used to study radiation-induced radicals in the temperature range from 77 to 295/sup 0/K. Altogether four different radicals were identified. Two radicals, the anion protonated at O(4) and the cation deprotonated at N(1) were observed at 77/sup 0/K only. Resonance lines from the dihydrouracil-5-yl (U 5-yl) and dihydrouracil-6-yl (U 6-yl) radicals were also observed at this temperature. The detailed structure of the latter two radicals was studied separately. At room temperature the U 6-yl was the main radical species which completely dominated the resonance spectra. Furthermore, uv exposure at 77/sup 0/K of crystals previously annealed at 295/sup 0/K resulted in a conversion of the U 6-yl radical into the U 5-yl species. By repeated annealing at room temperature the process may again be reversed. Thus, the technique used gave ample opportunities for a detailed study of the radical conformation. INDO MO-calculations have been performed both for identification purposes and for attaining information about the radical geometry.
Research Organization:
Univ. of Oslo, Norway
OSTI ID:
6454863
Journal Information:
Radiat. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Radiat. Res.; (United States) Vol. 75:2; ISSN RAREA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English