What Is Adenine?
Adenine is an organic compound with a purine skeleton, also known as 6-aminopurine and 9H-Purin-6-amine in IUPAC nomenclature. It is one of the five nucleobases in nucleic acids, widely present in living organisms. Adenine is a colorless or pale yellow solid at room temperature with a molecular formula of C5H5N5, a molecular weight of 135.13, and decomposes at a melting point of 680°F. It is insoluble in water, ethanol, and acetone, but soluble in dilute hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, and ammonia.
Uses of Adenine
Adenine is a component of nucleic acids like DNA and RNA. It is used to treat leukopenia caused by radiation exposure or drugs, in semiconductor corrosion prevention, and sex identification of fish.
Principle of Adenine
Adenine acts as a base with pKa values of 4.15 and 9.08, being part of DNA and RNA. Its corresponding nucleosides are adenosine (A) and deoxyadenosine (dA), forming hydrogen bonds with thymine in DNA and uracil in RNA. It is also a component of coenzymes A, FAD, NAD, and the energy substance ATP.
Synthesis of Adenine
In vivo, adenine is biosynthesized by purine metabolism, converting ribose-5-phosphate to inosinic acid (IMP), then to adenylic acid (AMP) and guanosine monophosphate (GMP). Industrially, it is synthesized by heating formamide, with increased yields using phosphoryl chloride (POCl3) or phosphorus pentachloride (PcL5) as acid catalysts.
Types of Adenine
As a drug, adenine is available in 10 mg tablets for treating radiation exposure and drug-induced leukopenia. It is also sold as a research reagent, available in various purities, and packaged in quantities like 1g, 25g, 100g, and 250g. It should be stored at room temperature, away from light, and mindful of hazardous decomposition products like CO, CO2, and NOx.