Investigation of hydrolytic deamination of 1-(2-hydroxy-1-phenylethyl)adenosine.

The ring nitrogen of adenosine reacts at both the alpha- (benzylic) and beta-carbons of styrene oxide to form 1-substituted products. The 1-(2-hydroxy-1-phenylethyl)adenosines formed by oxirane ring opening at the alpha-position are prone to an unusually facile hydrolytic deamination. By conducting hydrolysis reactions in [18O]water and analyzing the reaction products by electrospray mass spectrometry, we find that deamination occurs by direct attack of water at the 6-position of the adenine ring system with displacement of the exocyclic amino group.