Reaction of hydrated electrons with ferricytochrome C.

The reaction of ferricytochrome c with hydrated electrons produced at pH 6.8 by radiolysis with electron pulses lasting 50 to 1000 nanoseconds has a specific rate constant of 5.5 x 10(10) liter mole(-1) sec(-1) for the formation of the primary adduct. By using appropriate wavelengths, another fast, consecutive process was demonstrated, with the pure first order rate constant 1.0 x 10(5) sec(-1). Its characteristics agree with it being an intramolecular process within the enzyme. Approximately 50 percent of all electrons which add to ferricytochrome c end in forming ferrocytochrome c.