ESR Study of the Anion Radicals of 5-Nitropyrimidines: Conversion to Iminoxy Radicals

The anion radicals of a number of 5-nitropyrimidines have been investigated by ESR spectroscopy. The anions are formed by electrolysis in dimethylformamide and by electron attachment in aqueous glasses, 12 M${\rm LiCl}-{\rm D}_{2}{\rm O}$ and 8 M NaOD. The electrolysis of 5-nitrouracil and 5-nitro-6-methyluracil results in relatively stable anion radicals. The results for 5-nitrouracil give evidence for two or perhaps three anions which differ only by the degree of ring nitrogen protonation. The results for 5-nitro-6-methyluracil suggest that the nitro group of the anion is twisted so that it is coupled only weakly to the ring π-electron system. The anions of 5-nitrouracil, 5-nitroorotic acid, 5-nitrobarbituric acid, and 5-nitro-6-methyluracil have been produced in the alkaline and neutral aqueous glasses. The anisotropic spectra found have been analyzed with the aid of computer simulations which assume axial symmetry. For example, the analysis of the spectrum of 5-nitrouracil anion in 12 M LiCl yields$A_{11}{}^{{\rm N}}=33,A_{1}{}^{{\rm N}}=5,\scr{a}_{6}{}^{{\rm H}}=5.5\ {\rm G},g_{11}=2.0016$, and$g_{1}=2.0059$. A concentration dependence in the splittings is noted and discussed. Ultraviolet photolysis of the anions of 5-nitro-6-methyluracil and 5-nitrobarbituric acid results in the formation of iminoxy radicals. Mechanisms of formation of the iminoxy radicals are discussed and results found in this work are compared to results found in single crystals and aqueous solution.