Reactions of hydroxyl radicals ((OH)-O-center dot) with selenocystine (SeCys) and two of its analogues, diselenodipropionic acid (SeP) and selenocystamine (SeA), have been studied in aqueous solutions at pHs of 1, 7, and 10 using the pulse radiolysis technique coupled with absorption detection. All of these diselenides react with (OH)-O-center dot radicals with rate constants of similar to 10(10) M-1 s(-1), producing diselenide radical cations (similar to 1-5 mu s after the pulse), with an absorption maximum at 560 nm, by elimination of H2O or OH- from hydroxyl radical adducts. Assignment of the 560 nm band to the diselenide radical cation was made by comparing the transient spectra with those produced upon reaction of diselenides with specific one-electron oxidants, Cl-2(center dot-) (pH 1) and Br-2(center dot-) radicals (pHs of 7 and 10). SeP having a carboxylic acid functionality showed quantitative conversion of hydroxyl radical adducts to radical cations. The compounds SeCys and SeA, having an amino functional group, in addition to the radical cations, produced a new transient with lambda(max) at 460 nm, at later time scales (similar to 20-40 mu s after the pulse). The rate and yield of formation of the 460 nm band increased with increasing concentrations of either SeCys or SeA. In analogy with similar studies reported for analogous disulfides, the 460 nm transient absorption band has been assigned to a triselenide radical adduct. The one-electron reduction potentials of the compounds were estimated to be 0.96, 1.3, and 1.6 V versus NHE, respectively, for SeP, SeCys, and SeA at pH 7. From these studies, it has been concluded that the electron-donating carboxylic acid group decreases the reduction potential and facilitates quantitative conversion of hydroxyl radical adducts to radical cations, while the electron-withdrawing NH3+ group not only increases the reduction potential but also leads to fragmentation of the hydroxyl radical adduct to selenyl radicals, which are converted to triselenide radical adducts.