The two primary one-electron oxidation and (OH)-O-.-mediated decomposition products of 2'-deoxy-guanosine 1 are 2,2-diamino-4-[(2-deoxy-beta-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)amino]-2,5-dihydrooxazol-5-one 3 (dZ) and its precursor, 2-amino-5-[(2-deoxy-beta-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)amino]-4H-imidazol-4-one 2 (dIz). Here, we describe in detail the spectroscopic and chemical properties of both oxidative DNA lesions, The structures for dZ 3 and dIz 2 were determined by fast-atom bombardment mass spectrometry, UV spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, together with H-1, C-13, N-15 and O-17 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. In neutral aqueous solution dIz 2 is hydrolysed to dZ 3 (t(1/2) = 147 min at 37 degrees C) with the incorporation of one molecule of water. Hot alkali treatment (65 degrees C; pH 13) of dIz 2 and dZ 3 quantitatively results in the release of guanidine (t(1/2) = 3.3 and 3,1 min; respectively), The latter property allowed us to develop a specific and sensitive method for the detection of the two modified nucleosides 2 and 3, Methoxyamine reacts quantitatively with 3',5'-di-O-acetyl-dIz 2a 120-times faster than with 3',5'-di-O-acetyl-dZ 3a to form four 3,5-di-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-D-erythro-pentose-methoxyamine isomers.