Synthesis of 4,6-dideoxyfuranoses through the regioselective and diastereoselective oxyfunctionalization of a dimethylphenylsilyl-substituted chiral homoallylic alcohol.

The 4,6-dideoxyfuranoses 10a and 10b have been synthesized by starting from the readily available E-5-dimethylphenylsilyl-2-hexene-4-ol (1) and employing successively three versatile oxyfunctionalization methods, namely photooxygenation, metal-catalyzed epoxidation, and oxidative desilylation. Photooxygenation of the hydroxy vinylsilane 1 and subsequent triphenylphosphine reduction of the hydroperoxides 3 afford the like-4a and unlike-4b diols, which have been converted separately to the tetrahydrofurans (2S*,3R*,5R*)-7a and (2S*,3R*,5S*)-7b by a combination of diastereoselective epoxidation and regioselective intramolecular epoxide-ring opening. In the epoxidation reaction, catalyzed by Ti(OiPr)(4) or VO(acac)(2), only one diastereomer (dr >95:5) of the epoxide 5 is obtained. Further intramolecular opening of the epoxide ring in erythro-5 occurs regioselectively at the C-alpha position and diastereoselectively under inversion of the configuration of the silyl-substituted stereogenic center to generate only one diastereomer of the tetrasubstituted tetrahydrofurans 7. Oxidative desilylation of the latter gave the hitherto unknown 4,6-dideoxyfuranoses 10a and 10b. The use of the optically active E-5-dimethylphenylsilyl-2-hexene-4-ol (1) as starting material, which is readily available through lipase-catalyzed kinetic resolution, leads to the D- and L-4,6-dideoxysorbofuranoses 10a and D- and L-4,6-dideoxyfructofuranoses 10b in up to 98% enantiomeric excess.

Enantioselective epoxidation with chiral MN(III)(salen) catalysts: kinetic resolution of aryl-substituted allylic alcohols.

A set of aryl-substituted allylic alcohols rac-2 has been epoxidized by chiral Mn(salen*) complexes 1 as the catalyst and iodosyl benzene (PhIO) as the oxygen source. Whereas one enantiomer of the allylic alcohol 2 is preferentially epoxidized to give the threo- or cis-epoxy alcohol 3 (up to 80% ee) as the main product (dr up to >95:5), the other enantiomer of 2 is enriched (up to 53% ee). In the case of 1,1-dimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalen-2-ol (2c), the CH oxidation to the enone 4c proceeds enantioselectively and competes with the epoxidation. The absolute configurations of the allylic alcohols 2 and their epoxides 3 have been determined by chemical correlation or CD spectroscopy. The observed diastereo- and enantioselectivities in the epoxidation reactions are rationalized in terms of a beneficial interplay between the hydroxy-directing effect and the attack along the Katsuki trajectory.

Photooxidative damage of guanine in DG and DNA by the radicals derived from the alpha cleavage of the electronically excited carbonyl products generated in the thermolysis of alkoxymethyl-substituted dioxetanes and the photolysis of alkoxyacetones.

On thermolysis of the methoxy (MeO-TMD), tert-butoxy (tBuO-TMD), and hydroxy (HO-TMD) derivatives of 3,3,4,4-tetramethyl-1,2-dioxetane (TMD) in the presence of dG and calf-thymus DNA, the guanine is oxidized considerably more efficiently than the parent TMD. The same trend in the oxidative reactivity is observed for the photolysis of the corresponding oxy-substituted ketones versus acetone. The oxidative reactivity order in the dioxetane thermolysis, as well as in the ketone photolysis, parallels the ability of the excited ketones to release radicals (determined by spin trapping with DMPO and EPR spectroscopy) upon alpha cleavage (Norrish-type-I reaction). In the presence of molecular oxygen, the carbon-centered radicals are scavenged to produce peroxyl radicals, which are proposed as the reactive species in the oxidation of the guanine in dG and calf-thymus DNA.

Structure-dependent reactivity of oxyfunctionalized acetophenones in the photooxidation of DNA: base oxidation and strand breaks through photolytic radical formation (spin trapping, EPR spectroscopy, transient kinetics) versus photosensitization (electron transfer, hydrogen-atom abstraction).

The photooxidative damage of DNA, specifically guanine oxidation and strand-break formation, by sidechain-oxyfunctionalized acetophenones (hydroxy, methoxy, tert-butoxy and acetoxy derivatives), has been examined. The involvement of triplet-excited ketones and their reactivity towards DNA has been determined by time-resolved laser-flash spectroscopy. The generation of carbon-centered radical species upon Norrish-type I cleavage has been assessed by spin-trapping experiments with 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide, coupled with electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The observed DNA-base oxidation and strand-break formation is discussed in terms of the peroxyl radicals derived from the triplet-excited ketones by alpha cleavage and molecular oxygen trapping, as well as direct interaction of the excited states by electron transfer and hydrogen-atom abstraction. It is concluded that acetophenone derivatives, which produce radicals upon photolysis, in particular the hydroxy (AP-OH) and tert-butoxy (AP-O(t)Bu) derivatives, are more effective in oxidizing DNA.

Synthetic applications of nonmetal catalysts for homogeneous oxidations.

Nonmetal oxidation catalysts have gained much attention in recent years. The reason for this surge in activity is 2-fold: On one hand, a number of such catalysts has become readily accessible; on the other hand, such catalysts are quite resistant toward self-oxidation and compatible under aerobic and aqueous reaction conditions. In this review, we have focused on five nonmetal catalytic systems which have attained prominence in the oxidation field in view of their efficacy and their potential for future development; stoichiometric cases have been mentioned to provide overview and scope. Such nonmetal oxidation catalysts include the alpha-halo carbonyl compounds 1, ketones 2, imines 3, iminium salts 4, and nitroxyl radicals 5. In combination with a suitable oxygen source (H2O2, KHSO5, NaOCl), these catalysts serve as precursors to the corresponding oxidants, namely, the perhydrates I, dioxiranes II, oxaziridines III, oxaziridinium ions IV, and finally oxoammonium ions V. A few of the salient features about these nonmetal, catalytic systems shall be reiterated in this summary. The first class entails the alpha-halo ketones, which catalyze the oxidation of a variety of organic substrates [figure: see text] by hydrogen peroxide as the oxygen source. The perhydrates I, formed in situ by the addition of hydrogen peroxide to the alpha-halo ketones, are quite strong electrophilic oxidants and expectedly transfer an oxygen atom to diverse nucleophilic acceptors. Thus, alpha-halo ketones have been successfully employed for catalytic epoxidation, heteroatom (S, N) oxidation, and arene oxidation. Although high diastereoselectivities have been achieved by these nonmetal catalysts, no enantioselective epoxidation and sulfoxidation have so far been reported. Consequently, it is anticipated that catalytic oxidations by perhydrates hold promise for further development, especially, and should ways be found to transfer the oxygen atom enantioselectively. The second class, namely, the dioxiranes, has been extensively used during the last two decades as a convenient oxidant in organic synthesis. These powerful and versatile oxidizing agents are readily available from the appropriate ketones by their treatment [figure: see text] with potassium monoperoxysulfate. The oxidations may be performed either under stoichiometric or catalytic conditions; the latter mode of operation is featured in this review. In this case, a variety of structurally diverse ketones have been shown to catalyze the dioxirane-mediated epoxidation of alkenes by monoperoxysulfate as the oxygen source. By employing chiral ketones, highly enantioselective (up to 99% ee) epoxidations have been developed, of which the sugar-based ketones are so far the most effective. Reports on catalytic oxidations by dioxiranes other than epoxidations are scarce; nevertheless, fructose-derived ketones have been successfully employed as catalysts for the enantioselective CH oxidation in vic diols to afford the corresponding optically active alpha-hydroxy ketones. To date, no catalytic asymmetric sulfoxidations by dioxiranes appear to have been documented in the literature, an area of catalytic dioxirane chemistry that merits attention. A third class is the imines; their reaction with hydrogen peroxide or monoperoxysulfate affords oxaziridines. These relatively weak electrophilic oxidants only manage to oxidize electron-rich substrates such as enolates, silyl enol ethers, sulfides, selenides, and amines; however, the epoxidation of alkenes has been achieved with activated oxaziridines produced from perfluorinated imines. Most of the oxidations by in-situ-generated oxaziridines have been performed stoichiometrically, with the exception of sulfoxidations. When chiral imines are used as catalysts, optically active sulfoxides are obtained in good ee values, a catalytic asymmetric oxidation by oxaziridines that merits further exploration. The fourth class is made up by the iminium ions, which with monoperoxysulfate lead to the corresponding oxaziridinium ions, structurally similar to the above oxaziridine oxidants except they possess a much more strongly electrophilic oxygen atom due to the positively charged ammonium functionality. Thus, oxaziridinium ions effectively execute besides sulfoxidation and amine oxidation the epoxidation of alkenes under catalytic conditions. As expected, chiral iminium salts catalyze asymmetric epoxidations; however, only moderate enantioselectivities have been obtained so far. Although asymmetric sulfoxidation has been achieved by using stoichiometric amounts of isolated optically active oxaziridinium salts, iminium-ion-catalyzed asymmetric sulf-oxidations have not been reported to date, which offers attractive opportunities for further work. The fifth and final class of nonmetal catalysts concerns the stable nitroxyl-radical derivatives such as TEMPO, which react with the common oxidizing agents (sodium hypochlorite, monoperoxysulfate, peracids) to generate oxoammonium ions. The latter are strong oxidants that chemoselectively and efficiently perform the CH oxidation in alcohols to produce carbonyl compounds rather than engage in the transfer of their oxygen atom to the substrate. Consequently, oxoammonium ions behave quite distinctly compared to the previous four classes of oxidants in that their catalytic activity entails formally a dehydrogenation, one of the few effective nonmetal-based catalytic transformations of alcohols to carbonyl products. Since less than 1 mol% of nitroxyl radical is required to catalyze the alcohol oxidation by the inexpensive sodium hypochlorite as primary oxidant under mild reaction conditions, this catalytic process holds much promise for future practical applications.

tert-Butoxyl radicals generate mainly 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine in DNA.

Like hydroxyl radicals, alkoxyl radicals have been implicated in the generation of cellular oxidative DNA damage under physiological conditions; however, their genotoxic potential has not yet been established. We have analyzed the DNA damage induced by a photochemical source of tert-butoxyl radicals, the water soluble peroxy ester [4-(tert-butyldioxycarbonyl)benzyl]triethylammonium chloride (BCBT), using various repair endonucleases as probes. The irradiation (UV(360)) of BCBT in the presence of bacteriophage PM2 DNA was found to generate a DNA damage profile that consisted mostly of base modifications sensitive to the repair endonuclease Fpg protein. Approximately 90% of the modifications were identified as 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxoGua) residues by HPLC/ECD analysis. Oxidative pyrimidine modifications (sensitive to endonuclease III), sites of base loss (AP sites) and single-strand breaks were only minor modifications. Experiments with various scavengers and quenchers indicated that the DNA damage by BCBT+UV(360) was caused by tert-butoxyl radicals as the ultimate reactive species. The mutagenicity associated with the induced damage was analyzed in the gpt gene of plasmid pSV2gpt, which was exposed to BCBT+UV(360) and subsequently transfected into Escherichia coli. The results were in agreement with the specific generation of 8-oxoGua. Nearly all point mutations (20 out of 21) were found to be GC-->TA transversions known to be characteristic for 8-oxoGua. In conclusion, alkoxyl radicals generated from BCBT+UV(360) induce 8-oxoGua in DNA with a higher selectivity than any other reactive oxygen species analyzed so far.

N-hydroxy-4-(4-chlorophenyl)thiazole-2(3H)-thione as a photochemical hydroxyl-radical source: photochemistry and oxidative damage of DNA (strand breaks) and 2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG formation).

On irradiation of N-hydroxythiazole-2(3H)-thione 3 at 300 nm, the photoproducts disulfide 4, bisthiazole 5 and thiazole 6 are formed. During this photolysis, hydroxyl radicals are released, which have been detected by spin trapping with 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO), coupled with electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. In the presence of supercoiled pBR322 DNA, irradiation of thiazolethione 3 induces strand breaks through the photogenerated hydroxyl-radicals, as confirmed by control experiment with the hydroxyl-radical scavenger isopropanol. Singlet oxygen appears not to be involved, as attested by the lack of a D2O isotope effect. During the photoreaction of thiazolethione 3 in the presence of 2'-deoxyguanosine (dG), the latter is photooxidized (ca 10% conversion after 2 h of irradiation) to the 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine as the main oxidation product. The dG conversion levels off after complete consumption of thiazolethione 3 and is suppressed by the addition of the hydroxyl-radical scavenger 2,6-di-tert-butylcresol or DMPO. Since the photoproducts 4-6 are ineffective as sensitizers for the photooxidation of dG and DNA, the hydroxyl radicals released in the photolysis of thiazolethione 3 are the oxidizing species of DNA and dG. These results suggest that the thiazolethione 3 may serve as a novel and effective photochemical hydroxyl-radical source for photobiological studies.

Peroxidase-catalyzed oxidative damage of DNA and 2'-deoxyguanosine by model compounds of lipid hydroperoxides: involvement of peroxyl radicals.

The peroxidase-catalyzed decomposition of 3-hydroperoxy-1-butene (1), 2,3-dimethyl-3-hydroperoxy-1-butene (2), tert-butyl hydroperoxide (3), ethyl oleate hydroperoxide 4, and linoleic acid hydroperoxide 5 was applied as a chemical model system to assess whether lipid hydroperoxides may cause DNA damage under peroxidase catalysis. For this purpose, the Coprinus peroxidase (CIP), horseradish peroxidase (HRP), and the physiologically important lactoperoxidase (LP) were tested. Indeed, hydroperoxides 1-5 induce strand breaks in pBR 322 DNA upon peroxidase catalysis. For the nucleoside dG, the enzymatic decomposition of hydroperoxides 1-4 led to significant amounts of 4, 8-dihydro-4-hydroxy-8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (4-HO-8-oxo-dG) and guanidine-releasing products (GRP), whereas 7, 8-dihydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG) was not obtained. In isolated calf thymus DNA, the efficient conversion of the guanine base (Gua) was observed. Peroxyl radicals, which are generated in situ from the hydroperoxides by one-electron oxidation with the peroxidases, are proposed as the active oxidants on the basis of the following experimental facts. (i) Radical scavengers strongly inhibit the guanine oxidation in dG and DNA and strand-break formation in the latter. (ii) EPR spectral studies with 5, 5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) as a spin trap confirmed the formation of peroxyl radicals. (iii) The release of molecular oxygen was demonstrated, produced through the disproportionation of peroxyl radicals. The biological relevance of these findings should be seen in the potential role of the combined action of lipid hydroperoxides and peroxidases in damaging cellular DNA through peroxyl radicals.

A highly chemoselective oxidation of alcohols to carbonyl products with iodosobenzene diacetate mediated by chromium(III)(salen) complexes: synthetic and mechanistic aspects.

[reaction: see text] The catalytic oxidation of the allylic alcohols 1d-n with iodosobenzene diacetate, mediated by the [Cr(III)(salen)]X complex, affords the respective enones in excellent chemoselectivity for Cl(-) as counterion [complex A(Cl)], while for the counterions TfO(-) [complex A(TfO)] and PF(6)(-) [complex A(PF(6)())] nearly equal amounts of enone and epoxide are observed. This counterion-dependent oxidation of allylic alcohols by Cr(III)(salen) complexes is rationalized in terms of Lewis acid catalysis by the complex A(Cl) and redox catalysis for A(TfO) and A(PF(6)()).

Synthesis of optically active alpha-methylene beta-lactams through lipase-catalyzed kinetic resolution.

A convenient method for the preparation of the hitherto unknown chiral alpha-methylene beta-lactam derivatives 5a,b is reported. The optically active alpha-methylene beta-lactams 5a-c, and their corresponding amino acids 6a-c have been readily made available through lipase-catalyzed kinetic resolution in high enantiomeric purity (up to 99% ee). The N-substituted beta-lactam derivatives 4a, b and 10 are not accepted by the lipases and were prepared in optically active form by chemical transformation.

Biocatalytic asymmetric hydroxylation of hydrocarbons with the topsoil-microorganism Bacillus megaterium.

A Bacillus megaterium strain was isolated from topsoil by a selective screening procedure with allylbenzene as a xenobiotic substrate. This strain performed the hydroxylation chemoselectively (no arene oxidation and overoxidized products) and enantioselectively (up to 99% ee) in the benzylic and nonbenzylic positions of a variety of unfunctionalized arylalkanes. Salycilate and phenobarbital, which are potent inducers of cytochrome P-450 activity, changed the regioselectivity of the microbial CH insertion, without an effect on the enantioselectivity. The biotransformation conditions were optimized in regard to product yield and enantioselectivity by variation of the oxygen-gas supply and the time of the substrate addition. The different product distributions (alpha- versus beta-hydroxylated product) that are obtained on induction of cytochrome P-450 enzyme activity demonstrate the involvement of two or more hydroxylating enzymes with distinct regioselectivities in this biotransformation. An oxygen-rebound mechanism is assumed for the cytochrome P-450-type monooxygenase activity, in which steric interactions between the substrate and the enzyme determine the preferred face of the hydroxy-group transfer to the radical intermediate.

Preparation of optically active allylic hydroperoxy alcohols and 1, 3-diols by enzyme-catalyzed kinetic resolution and photooxygenation of chiral homoallylic alcohols.

All four possible enantiomers of the 3-hydroperoxy-4-penten-1-ols 2a, b and their corresponding 4-pentene-1,3-diols 4a,b have been prepared for the first time in high enantiomeric purity (up to 98% ee) and in preparative amounts according to two distinct ways: First the photooxygenation of the racemic homoallylic alcohols 1 gave the racemic hydroperoxy alcohols 2, which have subsequently been kinetically resolved by horseradish peroxidase (HRP); alternatively, first the lipase-catalyzed resolution afforded the optically active homoallylic alcohols 1 and subsequent photooxygenation led to the enantiomerically enriched hydroperoxy alcohols 2.

Photohemolysis sensitized by the furocoumarin imperatorin and its oxyfunctionalized derivatives.

The dark and photosensitized (366 nm) hemolytic effects of imperatorin and its photooxidation products, the hydroperoxides I and II as well as the corresponding alcohol of the hydroperoxide I (imperatorin alcohol), were studied on human erythrocytes. Imperatorin was shown to photosensitize hemolysis, its fluence (D) dependence of the rate of photohemolysis (V) followed the equation V = V0 + aD2 + bD1/2, in which V0 is the dark hemolysis rate and a and b are constants. At fluences below 200 kJ/m2, the main hemolytic contribution derives from the bD1/2 component, which is due to the in situ formation of the imperatorin hydroperoxides, while at fluences higher than 200 kJ/m2, the main contribution corresponds to the aD2 component due to the two-photon damage of cell membranes. Hydroperoxides I and II induce oxyhemoglobin cross-linking, as well as its conversion to methemoglobin and hemichrome. These reactions involve hydroxyl and alkoxy radicals, as the hemolysis and oxyhemoglobin conversion could be inhibited by t-butanol and butylated hydrotoluene. For comparison, the dark hemolytic effect of the imperatorin alcohol was approximately 10-fold less than of the hydroperoxides.

Biotransformation of (1-phenyl)ethyl hydroperoxide with Aspergillus niger: a model study on enzyme selectivity and on the induction of peroxidase activity.

The biocatalytic enantioselective reduction of (1-phenyl)ethyl hydroperoxide (1) by the fungus Aspergillus niger to the corresponding alcohol 2 involves a multi-enzyme biotransformation of the hydroperoxide 1, as revealed by the change in the enantioselectivity as a function of incubation times. This unusual behavior is not exhibited by other fungi and seems to be restricted to A. niger. Furthermore, the peroxidase and other oxidoreductase activities of A. niger depend on the availability of metal ions such as Fe2+, Mn2+ and Zn2+ in the growth medium, since the addition of Fe2+ ions substantially (threefold) increases the enantioselectivity, whereas addition of Mn2+ and Zn2+ ions decreases it. Finally, the cold shock (4 degrees C) significantly enhances the reduction of the hydroperoxide by the microorganism A. niger.

DNA and 2'-deoxyguanosine damage in the horseradish-peroxidase-catalyzed autoxidation of aldehydes: the search for the oxidizing species.

The horseradish-peroxidase(HRP)-catalyzed aerobic oxidation of aldehydes, in particular isobutanal, was used for the oxidative damage of DNA. In isolated calf-thymus DNA, the enzymatic oxidation of isobutanal led to 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxoGua) in up to 1.3% yield and appreciable single-strand breaks in supercoiled pBR 322 DNA. For the nucleoside dG, significant amounts of the guanidine-releasing products oxazolone and oxoimidazolidine have been detected, but 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) was not obtained. Only enolizable aldehydes are effective, molecular oxygen is essential, and radical scavengers inhibit efficiently the oxidation. Comparative experiments with 3,3,4,4-tetramethyl-1,2-dioxetane (TMD) revealed that triplet-excited acetone does not play a significant role in this enzymatic DNA oxidation. 2-Hydroperoxy-2-methylpropanal, an intermediate in the HRP-catalyzed aerobic oxidation of isobutanal, does not contribute directly in the observed dG conversion. However, the peroxyl radical derived from the 2-hydroperoxy-2-methylpropanal appears to be active as oxidant because model studies with a structurally related peroxyl radical, produced by HRP-catalyzed one-electron oxidation of 3-hydroperoxy-3-methyl-2-butanone, causes both dG conversion and DNA strand breaks, but to a moderate extent. The active oxidant, as established by control experiments, is the peroxyisobutyric acid, that is efficiently formed through the HRP-catalyzed autoxidation of isobutanal. Still more effective is the acylperoxyl radical, conveniently generated from the peracid by one-electron oxidation by HRP.

Biotransformations with peroxidases.

Enzymes are chiral catalysts and are able to produce optically active molecules from prochiral or racemic substrates by catalytic asymmetric induction. One of the major challenges in organic synthesis is the development of environmentally acceptable chemical processes for the preparation of enantiomerically pure compounds, which are of increasing importance as pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Enzymes meet this challenge! For example, a variety of peroxidases effectively catalyze numerous selective oxidations of electron-rich substrates, which include the hydroxylation of arenes, the oxyfunctionalizations of phenols and aromatic amines, the epoxidation and halogenation of olefins, the oxygenation of heteroatoms and the enantioselective reduction of racemic hydroperoxides. In this review, we summarize the important advances achieved in the last few years on peroxidase-catalyzed transformations, with major emphasis on preparative applications.

DNA damage by tert-butoxyl radicals generated in the photolysis of a water-soluble, DNA-binding peroxyester acting as a radical source.

The photolysis of the water-soluble perester 1 leads to tert-butoxyl radicals as confirmed by EPR studies with the spin trap 5, 5-dimethylpyrroline N-oxide (DMPO). In the presence of DNA, oxidative cleavage of the latter was demonstrated by the formation of strand breaks in supercoiled pBR 322 DNA and by a substantial decrease of the melting temperature of salmon testes DNA. Guanidine, released from, for example, oxazolone and oxoimidazolidine on base treatment, was observed with calf thymus DNA and 2'-deoxyguanosine. These DNA modifications were effectively inhibited by the radical scavenger di-tert-butylcresol or the hydrogen atom donor glutathione. Photosensitization by the arene chromophore was excluded since the corresponding ester 2 caused no DNA damage, nor were the photoproducts of the perester 1 active. The efficacy of the perester 1 in oxidizing DNA derives from the fact that the tert-butoxyl radicals are photolytically generated in the immediate vicinity of the DNA, due to electrostatic binding of the cationic perester to the DNA, as confirmed by fluorescence measurements. These results demonstrate that the photolysis of perester 1 provides a suitable source of tert-butoxyl radicals in aqueous media, a necessary prerequisite for biochemical investigations.

4-tert-butylperoxymethyl-9-methoxypsoralen as intercalating photochemical alkoxyl-radical source for oxidative DNA damage.

We describe the synthesis of a novel psoralen peroxide 1 that generates on irradiation (350 nm) alkoxyl radicals, namely tert-butoxyl radicals, as confirmed by electron spin resonance studies with the spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-pyrroline-N-oxide. The radical source intercalates into the DNA, which has been demonstrated by linear-flow-dichroism measurements. Thus, the alkoxyl radicals are formed advantageously directly in the DNA matrix. In supercoiled pBR322 DNA, the generation of strand breaks by the photochemically or metal-catalyzed generated alkoxyl radicals is demonstrated. Photosensitization by the psoralen chromophore was excluded because similar substances that do not release radicals caused no DNA damage, nor were the photoproducts of the peroxide 1 active. With calf thymus DNA, 8-oxoGua and small amounts of guanidine-releasing products, e.g. oxazolone, were observed. However, in these reactions the photoproduct also displayed some DNA-oxidizing capacity.

DNA cleavage induced by oxyl radicals generated in the photosensitized decomposition of fatty ester hydroperoxides derived from oleic and linoleic acid.

The xanthone-sensitized photodecomposition of the fatty ester hydroperoxides 1 and 2 in the presence of pBR 322 DNA was investigated as a chemical model system to assess whether this process may cause DNA damage through oxyl radicals. Unequivocally, oxyl radicals are formed in the xanthone-sensitized photodecomposition of the hydroperoxides 1 and 2, as confirmed by EPR studies. Indeed, both hydroperoxides 1 and 2 induce DNA single-strand breaks upon uv-A irradiation in the presence of the exogenous sensitizer xanthone. Under similar reaction conditions, the corresponding alcohol 3 of the hydroperoxide 1 was ineffective. Mannitol as radical scavenger inhibited significantly the formation of DNA single-strand breaks in the xanthone-sensitized decomposition of the hydroperoxides 1 and 2. Irradiation of xanthone alone or the hydroperoxides 1 and 2 without sensitizer did not cause any detectable DNA single-strand breaks. These results confirm that photosensitization of the fatty ester hydroperoxides 1 and 2 induces DNA modifications by oxyl radicals. We suspect that the combination of endogenous photosensitizers, solar uv radiation, and lipid hydroperoxides may damage cellular DNA through oxyl radicals.

DNA cleavage induced by alkoxyl radicals generated in the photolysis of N-alkoxypyridinethiones.

The photolysis of N-isopropoxypyridine-2-thione (1b) and of N-tert-butoxypyridine-2-thione (1c) generated alkoxyl radicals as confirmed by trapping experiments with DMPO and subsequent EPR spectroscopy. Upon UVA irradiation, the alkoxyl-radical sources induce strand breaks in supercoiled pBR 322 DNA, which was analyzed by gel electrophoresis. The participation of type I (electron transfer, H abstraction) or type II (1O2) photosensitization in the DNA cleavage by the oxyl-radical sources 1a-d or their photoproducts could be excluded. The present study establishes unequivocally that alkoxyl and benzoyloxyl, as well as hydroxyl radicals, cause strand breaks in DNA and, thus, may play a significant role in the DNA cleavage by peroxides.