Oxidation and reduction of the 5-(2'-deoxyuridinyl)methyl radical

Abstract

Sleeping beauty: The 5-(2’-Deoxyuridinyl) methyl radical 1 is a key intermediate in the thymine oxidative reaction mediated by reactive oxygen species. Evidence is presented that 1 is prone to both oxidation and reduction reactions at the absence of O2. These results question the current paradigm and suggest that the redox chemistry of 1, which has been largely overlooked in the past, may play a major role in determining the fate of 1.