Polyvinyl alcohol containing N‐derivatives of cytosine, uracil, or adenosine‐5′‐phosphate as pendant groups

Polyvinyl alcohols (P̄n ca. 500) having a nucleotide or one of its analogs, such as adenosine‐5′‐phosphate, N‐[(2′‐dihydrogenphosphato)ethyl]‐uracil and ‐cytosine, as pendant group were synthesized by condensation using DCC as dehydrating agent in refluxing DMF. The resulting polyvinyl alcohols showed a hypochromic effect up to 4% when mixed with denaturated RNA or DNA in aqueous solution. Low molecular weight PVA (P̄n = 8) containing nucleotide analogs showed no hypochromic effect with DNA or RNA.