title: Unexpected photolytic decomposition of alkyl azides under mild conditions.
abstract: Alkyl azides have been found to undergo an unexpectedly facile photodecomposition under mild conditions (laboratory light) and the reaction gives rise to small amounts of aldehydes and monoacyl aminal rearrangement products that can dramatically impact on the uses of azides in chemistry, biology and medicine.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Drug Design and Development, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 4072.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Abbenante
authors.forename: Giang T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Le
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Fairlie
mesh_terms: D000447:Aldehydes / Q000737:chemistry; D001386:Azides / Q000737:chemistry*; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry; D010782:Photolysis
chemical_list: D000447:Aldehydes; D001386:Azides; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors