Radical intermediates in peroxide-dependent reactions catalyzed by cytochrome P-450.

ABSTRACT

Thus, cumyl hydroperoxide yields acetophenone and methane, and 13-hydroperoxyoctadeca- 9,11-dienoic acid yields pentane and an as yet unidentified additional product. Since hydroperoxide reduction does not produce the corresponding alcohol, it is concluded that homolytic cleavage of the oxygen-oxygen bond occurs with rearrangement of the resulting alkoxy radical. Studies are in progress to determine how broad a role the new hydroperoxide cleavage reaction plays in the biological peroxidation of lipids.