PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF FLAVINS IN MICELLES - SPECIFIC EFFECTS OF ANIONIC SURFACTANTS ON THE MONOMERIZATION OF THYMINE CYCLOBUTANE DIMERS PHOTOSENSITIZED BY TETRA-O-ACYL RIBOFLAVINS

It was found that tetra-o-acyl riboflavins efficiently photosensitize the monomerization of the cis, syn-cyclobutane dimers of 1,3-dimethylt hymine and 1,3-dimethyluracil in aqueous solution in the presence of s uch anionic surfactants as sodium dodecyl sulfate and sodium hexadecyl sulfate at concentrations higher than their critical micelle concentr ation, while little monomerization of the dimers was photosensitized b y the flavins in the absence of the surfactants and even in the presen ce of cationic and nonionic surfactants.