Pulse radiolytic studies on uracil and uracil derivatives. Protonation of their electron adducts at oxygen and carbon.

The electron adducts of uracil, 1,3-dimethyluracil and 1,3-dimethylthymine, known to protonate rapidly in aqueous solution at oxygen, are now shown to undergo a slower protonation at C(6) producing a radical centred at C(5), a reaction which can be catalysed by buffer.