Visible-light-mediated oxidative demethylation of N6-methyl adenines.

ABSTRACT

We report a simple protocol that affords oxidative demethylation of N6-methyl groups in N6-methyl adenines (m6A). The biologically compatible photocatalyst riboflavin prompts a highly selective C-H abstraction from N6-methyl in adenines under the irradiation of a visible blue LED light, affording a novel and highly selective biomimetic demethylation of m6A and related N-methyl adenine analogues.