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The ability of thiols to reduce 3'-azidothymidine (AZT) to 3'-aminothymidine has been investigated. Incubation with glutathione, dithiothreitol (DTT), or mercaptoethanol at pH 7.2 and 37 degrees C leads to quantitative reduction of the azido moiety to an amine. The reaction is first order in AZT and first order in reducing agent (mono- or dithiol). The second-order rate constants are 2.77 x 10(-3), 6.55 x 10(-5), and 6.35 x 10(-6) M-1 sec-1 for the dithiothreitol, glutathione, and mercaptoethanol reductions, respectively. The thiol reduction of alkyl azide to amine under mild conditions is a synthetic method particularly suitable for water-soluble azido compounds that are sensitive to catalytic hydrogenation. The potential for the mono- or dithiol-mediated reduction of alkyl azides under biological conditions must be considered when conducting studies of azido drugs.

Re-examination of the structure of pyridine coenzymes in solution by use of the 220-MHz high-frequency nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer indicates that there is primarily one folded structure that is in rapid equilibrium with an open form. Reduced DPN(+) and reduced analogs of DPN(+) exist predominantly with the B side of the dihydropyridine ring folded against the adenine moiety. (The oxidized coenzymes appear to exist in the same folded structure.) Furthermore, the ribose protons undergo very little conformational change upon reduction of the pyridine ring; this observation strongly suggests a considerable similarity between the folded forms of the oxidized and reduced coenzymes. A model of the folded structure is presented.