Very low energy electrons transform the cyclobutane-pyrimidine dimer into a highly reactive intermediate.
Electrons with virtually no kinetic energy (close to 0 eV) trigger the decomposition of cytotoxic cyclobutane-pyrimidine dimer (CPD) into a surprisingly large variety of fragment ions plus their neutral counterparts. The response of CPD to low energy electrons is thus comparable to that of explosives like trinitrotoluene (TNT). The dominant unimolecular reaction is the splitting into two thymine like units, which can be considered as the essential molecular step in the photolyase of CPD. We find that CPD is significantly more sensitive towards low energy electrons than its thymine building blocks. It is proposed that electron attachment at very low energy proceeds via dipole bound states, supported by the large dipole moment of the molecule (6.2 D). These states act as effective doorways to dissociative electron attachment (DEA).
Edtbauer
Achim
A
Institut für Ionenphysik und Angewandte Physik and Center of Molecular Biosciences, Leopold-Franzens Universität Innsbruck, Technikerstr. 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
Denifl
Stephan
S
Vizcaino
Violaine
V
An der Lan
Lukas
L
Russell
Katherine
K
Taubitz
Jörg
J
Wille
Uta
U
Feketeova
Linda
L
O'Hair
Richard A J
RA
Märk
Tilmann D
TD
Illenberger
Eugen
E
Scheier
Paul
P
D002073:Butanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D003500:Cyclization; D004583:Electrons; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011740:Pyrimidine Dimers / Q000737:chemistry*
D002073:Butanes; D011740:Pyrimidine Dimers; C046888:butane