The dipole bound-to-covalent anion transformation in uracil

Abstract

Nucleic acid base anions play an important role in radiation-induced mutagenesis. Recently, it has been shown that isolated (gas-phase) nucleobases form an exotic form of negative ions, namely, dipole bound anions. These are species in which the excess electrons are bound by the dipole fields of the neutral molecules. In the condensed phase, on the other hand, nucleobase anions are known to be conventional (covalent) anions, implying the transformation from one form into the other due to environmental (solvation) effects. Here, in a series of negative ion photoelectron spectroscopic experiments on gas-phase, solvated uracil cluster anions, we report the observation of this transformation.