Definition
Pyrimidine is a six-membered nitrogen heterocyclic compound with the molecular formula C4H4N2. Pyrimidine bases are weakly basic. Pyrimidines are stabilized by resonance among atoms in the ring, which gives most of the bonds a partial double-bond character. As a result, pyrimidines are planar molecules and are characterized by strong UV absorption generally near 260 nm. Pyrimidine bases may exist in different tautomeric forms depending on the pH. At neutral pH, pyrimidines are hydrophobic and therefore relatively insoluble. Substituted pyrimidines are components of ribonucleic acids (RNA), deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA), and coenzymes and are broadly distributed in nature.
Overview
Pyrimidines are aromatic nitrogen heterocycles with a structure similar to benzene but containing two nitrogen atoms at the 1 and 3 positions of the ring. Pyrimidines (along with purines) serve as the informational monomers of RNA and DNA, the molecular carriers of genetic information. Hydrogen...
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References and Further Reading
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Callahan, M.P. (2015). Pyrimidine Base. In: Gargaud, M., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44185-5_1313
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44185-5_1313
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