The Formation and Reactions of Disulfide Radical Anions in Aqueous Solution

Abstract

Transient disulfide radical anions have been produced by flash photolysis. Cyclic anions decay only by second order reaction as opposed to the first order decay found for linear ones at low concentration. Linear disulfides, except oxidized penicillamine, increase the rate of decay of the cystine radical anion. The pH dependence of the reaction with cystine suggests that the disulfide radical anion is an electrophile.