Mechanistic Studies of Nucleotide Reactivity

有了这个新的奖项，有机和高分子化学项目支持了新泽西州新不伦瑞克市罗格斯大学化学系的Jeehiun K.Lee教授的工作。这项研究将通过气相质谱学和理论量子力学研究拓宽对核苷酸化学的理解。本课程将探讨天然核酸碱基及其衍生物的气相酸性和质子亲和力，以了解它们的基本反应活性。核酸固有的电子、结构和反应性质对理解这些物种作为底物在酶反应和DNA结合事件中的作用具有重要的基础意义。这些研究将采用实验和理论相结合的方法，从质谱学到有机合成，再到不同水平的计算。这项研究将通过本科生和研究生的直接研究经验来促进教学、培训和学习。拟议的研究结果将被整合到一门物理有机化学课程中，提供物理方法可以揭示生化分子的反应性并有助于解决化学和生物界面上的重要问题的方法的例子。

With this new award, the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program supports the work of Professor Jeehiun K. Lee of the Chemistry Department at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ. This research will broaden understanding of nucleotide chemistry through gas phase mass spectrometric and theoretical quantum mechanical studies. The gas phase acidity and proton affinity of natural nucleic acid bases and their derivatives will be explored in order to understand their fundamental reactivities. The inherent electronic, structural, and reactive properties of nucleic acids are of considerable fundamental interest and critical to understanding the role of these species as substrates in enzyme reactions and in DNA binding events. A combination of experiment and theory, ranging from mass spectrometry to organic synthesis to different levels of calculations, will be used in these studies. The research will promote teaching, training and learning through direct research experiences for undergraduates and graduates. The results of the proposed research will be integrated into a physical organic chemistry course providing examples of the ways in which physical methods can uncover the reactivity of biochemical molecules and contribute to the solution of important problems at the interface of chemistry and biology.