4′‐Pivaloyl Substituted Thymidine as a Precursor for the Thymyl Radical: An EPR Spectroscopic Study

Abstract

Electron transfer in thymidine. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy was used to study the light-induced radical formation from a 4′-pivaloyl substituted thymidine. The observation of the thymyl radical (2) suggests that a hydrogen- or proton-coupled electron-transfer step from the first formed carbohydrate radical 1 to the thymine base occurs (see Scheme).