Under photostimulated SRNI conditions the cytosine nitranion behaves as a nucleophile toward the carbon radical generated from gem halonitro, or gem dinitroalcane derivatives to give regiospecifically the N-1 alkyled cytosine compound which is representative of a new series of cytosine acyclonucleosides. Uracile and its 5-fluoro or 5-nitro analogs fail to react and thymine gives an unexpected disubstituted S(RN)1 product whose formation is discussed.
Beugelmans, Rene; Amrollah-Madjdabadi; Frinault, Thierry, Bulletin de la Societe Chimique de France, 1994, vol. 131, p. 1019 - 1030