摘要
Among all the DNA components, extremely redox-active guanine （G） and adenine （A） bases are subject to facile loss of an electron and form cation radicals （G＋＂ and A＋＇） when exposed to irradiation or radical oxidants. The subsequent deprotonation of G＋＇ and A＋＇ can invoke DNA damage or interrupt hole transfer in DNA. However, compared with intensive reports for G＋, studies on the deprotonation of A＋ are still limited at present. Herein, we investigate the deprotonation behavior of A＋. by time-resolved laser flash photolysis. The deprotonation product of A（N6-H）＇ is observed and the deprotonation rate constant, （2.0±0.1）×10 7 s-1, is obtained at room temperature. Further, the deprotonation rate con- stants of A＋. are measured at temperatures varying from 280 K to 300 K, from which the activation energy for the N6-H deprotonation is determined to be （17.1±1.0） kJ/mol by Arrhenius equation. In addition, by incorporating the aqueous solvent effect, we perform density functional theory calculations for A＋ deprotonation in free base and in duplex DNA. Together with experimental results, the deprotonation mechanisms of A＋ in free base and in duplex DNA are revealed, which are of fundamental importance for understanding the oxidative DNA damage and designing DNA-based electrochemical devices.
