Fluorescence Reaction of Ribonucleosides and Ribonucleotides with 1, 2-Bis(4-methoxyphenyl)ethylenediamine

Abstract

Ribonucleosides and ribonucleotides produce fluorescence (excitation maxima, ca. 340 nm; emission maxima, ca. 470 nm) when heated in an acidic solution with meso-1, 2-diarylethylenediamines which have phenyl groups substituted with electron-donating groups at the 4-positions, after periodate oxidation. Of the 1, 2-diarylethylenediamines tested, meso-1, 2-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)ethylenediamine was the most sensitive and permitted the fluorometric determination of ribonucleosides and ribonucleotides at concentrations as low as 60-500 pmol/ml. The compound also produces fluorescence with reducing sugars.