Checking the traps: When a phenyl selenide compound such as 1 was oxidized with sodium periodate or irradiated, an ortho‐quinone methide intermediate formed and reacted with a DNA duplex by cross‐linking. In the crystal structure of a derivative of 1 the biphenyl unit is twisted, and this might explain how 1 can interact effectively with the DNA backbone.

antitumor agents; DNA alkylation; DNA cross-linking; quinone methide

Nanchang University; Wuhan University