Prototropic tautomerism of organic compounds

Tautomerism is a phenomenon of existing of structural isomers of the compound, which are in balance with each other. The most common type of tautomerism associated with migration of hydrogen and redistribution of electron density is prototropic tautomerism. Tautomers generally differ significantly in physicochemical properties and reactivity. Researches on tautomeric balance were the subject of broad interest to biochemists. Several compounds exhibiting biological activity may in fact occur in more than one tautomeric form. It is recognized that tautomers plays an important role in the interaction with DNA molecules, processes transporting living matter, or the appearance of spontaneous mutations. Therefore, for many years the researches on this phenomenon have been conducted, both experimental and theoretical