Abstract
The photocycloaddition reaction of 8-methoxypsoralen with purine and/or pyrimidine bases is studied as a model for the charge transfer interactions of psoralens with DNA bases by the FMO method. The results indicate that, in the case of the molecular complex formation between psoralens and purine and/or pyrimidine bases, the most probable photocycloaddition should occur in the following order: Thy (5,6)<>(3,4) 8-MOP, Cyt(5,6)<>(3,4)8-MOP, Ade (7,8)<>(3,4)8-MOP, Gua(7,8)<>(3,4)8-MOP. The theoretical results for the photocycloaddition reaction are also correlated with the experimental results. The photoadducts between 8-methoxypsoralen and adenine are likely to be C4-cycloadducts through the cycloaddition of 3,4-pyrone double bond of 8-methoxypsoralen to 7,8-double bond of adenine.