Structural evidence for the radical scavenging mechanism of some aminothiol group of radioprotectants

Aminothiols constitute an important group of radioprotectants. The structures of a few well-known compounds belonging to the family of radioprotectants have been determined by single crystal x-ray diffraction methods. The sulphur and the amino nitrogen atoms are separated by two tetrahedral carbon atoms in these compounds. Thegauche conformation of the sulphur and the nitrogen atoms and the consequent non-bonded intramolecular S … N interaction observed in some of the crystal structures appear to favour the hypothesis that the protective mechanism of these compounds is by free radical scavenging.