Effects of substituents on the acid-catalyzed photoreaction of pyrimidine derivatives in p-xylene

Nucleic Acids Symp Ser. 1993:(29):43-4.

Abstract

In order to obtain insight into the protonation of the electron adducts of pyrimidine bases (I) and the chemical behavior of the resulting radicals under an acidic condition, the photoreaction of 5-substituted 1,3-dimethyluracil (1) (substituents; p-xylyl, methyl, H, Cl, and F) was performed in p-xylene (2) in the presence of a large amount of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). 5, 6-dihydrouracil derivatives (3), 5-p-methylbenzyluracils (4) and the 6-isomers (5) were yielded as the major products. Substitution of an electron-releasing group (p-xylyl) at C-5 raises the ratio of the products from the C6-protonated pyrimidine electron adduct (III) (3, 4) vs. the adduct from the O4-protonated isomer (II) (5), while the electron-withdrawing substituents (F > Cl) suppress the ratios.

MeSH terms

  • Acids
  • Catalysis
  • Free Radicals
  • Photochemistry
  • Pyrimidines / chemistry*
  • Trifluoroacetic Acid / chemistry
  • Ultraviolet Rays
  • Uracil / analogs & derivatives
  • Uracil / chemistry
  • Xylenes / chemistry*

Substances

  • Acids
  • Free Radicals
  • Pyrimidines
  • Xylenes
  • Uracil
  • 4-xylene
  • 1,3-dimethyluracil
  • Trifluoroacetic Acid