OZONE OXIDATION OF THYMIDINE - COMPARISON WITH HYDROXYL RADICALS ACTION

The reaction of the base moiety of the thymidine, one of the pyrimidin yl nucleosides, with ozone was examined. This reaction gives rise to f ive nucleosides which were isolated and characterised. The comparison with the current knowledge of the hydroxyl radical-mediated oxidations of thymidine, in aerated aqueous solution, shows that the ozone oxida tion is specific. Indeed, the identified products obtained by the ozon olysis resulted from the opening of the C5-C6 bound.