5,6-Dihydrouracil

Chemical Properties

white to light beige crystalline powder

Uses

Dihydrouracil has been used as a standard for ureido group in the colorimentric assay of transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA).

Uses

Impurity of Uracil.

Uses

5,6-Dihydrouracil acts as an intermediate in the catabolism of uracil.

Definition

ChEBI: 5,6-dihydrouracil is a pyrimidine obtained by formal addition of hydrogen across the 5,6-position of uracil. It has a role as a metabolite, a human metabolite, an Escherichia coli metabolite and a mouse metabolite. It is functionally related to a uracil.

General Description

Dihydrouracil (DiHU) is a minor base found in transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA). It is similar to uracil with the only exception that the C₅-C₆ bond is saturated. It crystallized in the monoclinic system with space group P2₁/_C. Its crystalline structure has been analyzed. Its generation from L-cysteine and uracil via photochemical addition has been described.