A pulse radiolytic study of some radiosensitizing and radioprotective substances

The one-electron reduction potentials for substituted nitroimidazoles and nitrobenzenes in aqueous solution have been correlated to their electron affinities calculated by the semiempirical quantum mechanical method HAM/3. This procedure implies the validity of a Hammet like equation for the substances studied. Glutathione has been shown to compete with oxygen for radiation induced radicals. Hence the reaction of the hydroxyl radical with glutathione in neutral and alkaline aqueous solution was investigated in some detail. A reaction scheme involving a pH dependent formation of thiyl, and carbon centered radicals is given. (Auth.)