Ring intermediate pathways, identical atom

Multiple pathways leading to the same product channel can also be observed in a reaction when there are a sufficient number of identical atoms, thereby allowing different intermediate structures to yield the same products. In these cases, the mechanisms in the two pathways are often quite similar, but involve differing positions of identical atoms on the reactants. The different pathways often involve formation of ring intermediates in which the rings have different sizes. A simple example of this class is the photodissociation of vinyl chloride [9]... 

The final example of a reaction in which multiple pathways arise from the participation of identical atoms is the reaction HCCO + O2. This reaction demonstrates another general feature of pathway competition when unsaturated species are involved, namely, the possibilities for formation of ring intermediates of different sizes. 

The de novo pathways for purine and pyrimidine biosynthesis appear to be nearly identical in all living organisms. Notably, the free bases guanine, adenine, thymine, cytidine, and uracil are not intermediates in these pathways that is, the bases are not synthesized and then attached to ribose, as might be expected. The purine ring structure is built up one or a few atoms at... 

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