Molecular interactions between nucleic acids and antitumor substances by Raman and NMR spectroscopy

1-Methyladenosine (1-MeAdo) and protonated 1-Methyladenosine (1-MeAdo.H+) were chosen as a model to study the molecular interactions between the carcinogen dimethylsulphate (DMS) and the base adenine, and the interactions between the antitumoral electrophilic cis-diamminedichlorophatinum (II) (cis-Pt) and the methylation product of the base, respectively. Raman and multinuclear NMR studies show the molecular perturbations caused by the carcinogen on the base and those of the antitumoral substance on the reaction product base-carcinogen.