Abstract
WANG1–3 has found that the production of photodimers is much greater when frozen aqueous solutions of thymine are irradiated with ultra-violet light than when liquid solutions of thymine are similarly irradiated. Adding alcohol to the solution before freezing or using thymidine, thymidylic acid, or uracil compounds instead of thymine all markedly reduce the formation of photodimer. He believes that the dimer formation in ice is facilitated by aggregation of the molecules. We have measured the absorption spectrum of various frozen solutions and have thus been able to obtain direct evidence of aggregation.
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References
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DAVIS, S., TINOCO, I. Ultra-violet Absorption Spectrum of Thymine in Ice. Nature 210, 1286 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1038/2101286a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/2101286a0
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