Pulse radiolysis of 3-pyridine methanol and 3-pyridine carboxaldehyde in aqueous solutions

Reactions of e_aq^-, H-atom and OH radicals with 3-pyridine methanol (3-PM) and 3-pyridine carboxaldehyde (3-PCA) have been studied at various pHs using pulse radiolysis technique. e_aq^- was found to be highly reactive with both 3-PM and 3-PCA (k approx. 10¹⁰ dm³ mol¹ s^-1). Semi-reduced species formed in both cases were strongly reducing in nature. In the case of 3-PM, electron addition leads to the formation of pyridinyl radicals whereas in the case of 3-PCA, PyCHOH type radicals are formed. At pH 6.8, H-atom reaction with 3-PCA also gives semi-reduced species (PyCHOH), whereas at pH 1, H-atoms add to the ring. (CH₃)₂˙COH radicals were found to transfer electron to 3-PCA at all the pH values tested and by making use of changes in the absorption spectra, pK_a values of the semi-reduced species were determined to be 4.5 and 10.6. OH radicals were found to undergo addition reaction with 3-PCA, whereas in the case of 3-PM they reacted by H-abstraction as well as addition reaction. By following the yield of methylviologen radical cation formed by electron transfer reaction, it was estimated that approx. 50% of OH radicals react with 3-PM by H-atom abstraction at pH 6.8, giving reducing radicals, whereas at pH 3.2, where 3-PM is in the protonated form, the same is only about 10%. At pH 13, O^-˙ radical anions were found to react exclusively by H-atom abstraction. Reaction of SO₄^-˙ radicals with 3-PCA was found to give a species identical to the one formed by one electron reduction of nicotinic acid at acidic pH values.     

Pulse-radiolysis studies on 4-pyridinemethanol and 4-pyridinecarboxaldehyde in aqueous solutions: dimer radical anion formation in the case of 4-pyridinecarboxaldehyde

Reactions of e _aq ^– , H atom and OH radicals with 4-pyridinemethanol (4-PM) and 4-pyridinecarboxaldehyde (4-PCA) have been studied at various pH values using the pulse radiolysis technique. Reaction of e _aq ^– with 4-PM and 4-PCA leads to the formation of pyridinyl and ketyl radicals of 4-PM and 4-PCA, respectively. Ketyl radicals formed from 4-PCA react with the parent molecule to give a dimeric radical species. At pH 7, the equilibrium constant for the dimer formation was determined to be 13 500 M^-1. At pH 13 also dimer radical formation was observed. Reaction of e _aq ^– with 4-PM was found to give highly reducing pyridinyl radicals. Reaction of OH radicals with 4-PM gives a mixture of species,viz., OH adducts and radicals formed by H-atom abstraction from the –CH₂OH moiety. Radicals formed by H-atom abstraction reaction from 4-PM were found to be reducing in nature. O^– radicals were found to react with 4-PM exclusively by H-abstraction pathway.     

Redox reactions of transient species formed during pulse radiolysis of 2-pyridine carboxaldehyde and 2-pyridine methanol in aqueous solutions

Rate constants for the reactions of e _aq ^? , H and OH radicals with 2-pyridine carboxaldehyde and 2-pyridine methanol have been determined by pulse radiolysis technique. Reactions of reducing radicals such as acetone ketyl radicals and CO₂ ^? with these compounds were also evaluated at various pHs. The species produced by the reaction of reducing radicals with these solutes was a strong reductant itself. While pyridinyl were produced in the case of 2-pyridine methanol, one-electron reduction of 2-pyridine carboxaldehyde led to the formation of PyCHOH radical. The one-electron reduction potential of PyCHOH radicals was estimated by establishing an equilibrium with MV⁺ radical cations to be ?0.6V vs NHE. OH radical reaction with 2-pyridine carboxaldehyde gave an OH adduct, while in the case of 2-pyridine methanol, OH radicals reacted partly by H-abstraction from the ?CH₂OH group. SO₄ ^? radical reaction with 2-pyridine carboxaldehyde produced a species which was reducing in nature. The rate constants for the reaction of e _aq ^? and OH radicals are compared with similar values obtained in the case of other 2-pyridine derivatives to see if there is any electron-inductive effect.     

Pulse radiolysis study of dithio-oxamide in aqueous solutions

The reactions of e⁻ _aq, H-atoms, OH radicals and some one electron oxidants and reductants were studied with dithio-oxamide (DTO) in aqueous solutions using pulse radiolysis technique. The transient species formed by the reaction of e⁻ _aq with DTO at pH 6.8 has an absorption band with λ _max at 380 nm and is reducing in nature. H-atom reaction with DTO at pH 6.8 also produced the same transient species. The semi-reduced species was found to be neutral indicating that the electron adduct gets protonated quickly. However at pH 1, the species produced by H-atom reaction had a different spectrum with λ _max at 360 and 520 nm. Reaction of acetone ketyl radicals and CO₂ ⁻ radicals with DTO at pH 6.8 gave transient spectra which were identical to that obtained by e⁻ _aq reaction. However at pH 1, the spectrum obtained by the reaction of acetone ketyl radicals with DTO was similar to that obtained by H-atom reaction at that pH. The transient species formed by OH radical reaction with DTO in the pH range 1–9.2 also has two absorption maxima at 360 and 520 nm. This spectrum was identical with the spectrum obtained by H-atom reaction at pH 1. This means that all these radicals viz. OH, H-atom and (CH₃)₂COH radicals react with DTO at pH 1 by H-abstraction mechanism. The transient species produced was found to be sensitive to the presence of oxygen. One-electron oxidizing radicals such as Br₂ ^−· and SO₄ ^−· radicals reacted with DTO at neutral pH to give the same species as produced by OH radical reaction having absorption maxima at 360 to 520 nm. At acidic pHs, only Br₂ ^−· and Cl₂ ^−· radicals were able to oxidize DTO to give the same species as produced by OH radical reaction. The semioxidized species is a resonance stabilized species with the electron delocalized over the-N-C-S bond. This species was found to be neutral and non-oxidizing in nature.     

Nature of the transient species formed during pulse radiolysis of thioacetamide in aqueous solutions

Thioacetamide (TA) is an organic compound having thioamide group similar to that in thiourea derivatives. Its reactions with e_aq⁻, H-atom and OH radicals were studied using the pulse radiolysis technique at various pHs and the kinetic and spectral characteristics of the transient species were determined. The initial adduct formed by the reaction of TA with OH radicals at pH 7 does not absorb light in the 300–600 nm region but reacts with the parent compound to give a transient species with an absorption maximum around 400 nm. At pH 0, the reaction of OH radicals with TA directly gives a similar transient species with absorption maximum at 400 nm. Transient species formed by H-atom reaction with TA and pH 0 has no absorption in the 300–600 nm region but at higher acidity a new transient species is formed which has absorption maximum at 400 nm. This transient absorption observed in the case of both OH and H atom reaction with TA is ascribed to the formation of a resonance stabilized radical similar to that obtained in the case of thiourea derivatives. The species produced by electron reaction viz. electron adduct was found to be a strong reductant and could reduce MV²⁺ with a high rate constant. H₂S was produced as a stable product in the reaction of e_aq⁻ and its G-value was determined to be about 0.8.     

Reactions of reducing radicals with 2- and 3-nitroanilines in aqueous solutions: a pulse radiolysis study

Reactions of 2- and 3-nitro anilines (2- and 3-NA) with e_aq⁻, H-atoms and one-electron reductants have been studied using pulse radiolysis in aqueous solutions. Reactions of e_aq⁻ were found to be quite fast with both 2-NA and 3-NA resulting in their corresponding semi-reduced species which are reducing in nature. Reduction potentials for 2-NA/2-Na^•′ have been estimated to be approx. −0.56 Vvs. NHE and that for 3-NA/3-NA^•− was found to be between −0.185 V and −0.45 Vvs. NHE. Semi-reduced 2-NA has main absorption peak at 300 nm with a shoulder in the 350 nm region and a broad weak band in the 470–500 nm region, whereas semi-reduced 3-NA possesses an absorption peak at 520 nm. Reducing radicals such as (CH₃)₂ C^•OH and CO₂^•− reacted with 2-NA, producing semi-reduced species, whereas reactions of these radicals with 3-NA produced their corresponding radical-adduct species.     

Observation of hydrated electron, (SCN)2 .- and CO3 .- radical in high temperature and supercritical water

Transient radicals (hydrated electron, (SCN)₂ ^.- and CO₃ ^.-) formed in supercritical water have been observed by the pulse radiolysis technique. The change of spectra of these radicals with temperature has been measured. It was found that the spectra and absorption coefficients of the radicals, e^- _aq and (SCN)₂ ^.-, are strongly dependent on the temperature of the water. Since it was found that the absorption spectrum and molar absorption coefficient of CO₃ ^.- radical seem to be almost independent of temperature, G-values of OH and e^- _aq could be derived. Then, the absolute values of the absorption coefficients for the radicals could be calculated. The G-values of the radical products in water radiolysis tend to increase with increasing temperature up to 400°C. Based on the above observation, radiolysis of supercritical water is discussed.     

Nature of the transient species formed in pulse radiolysis of n-allylthiourea in aqueous solutions

Reactions of e⁻_aq, OH radicals and H atoms were studied with n-allylthiourea (NATU) using pulse radiolysis. Hydrated electrons reacted with NATU (k = 2.8×10⁹ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹) giving a transient species which did not have any significant absorption above 300 nm. It was found to transfer electrons to methyl viologen. At pH 6.8, the reduction potential of NATU has been determined to be −0.527 V versus NHE. At pH 6.8, OH radicals were found to react with NATU, giving a transient species having absorption maxima at 400–410 nm and continuously increasing absorption below 290 nm. Absorption at 400–410 nm was found to increase with parent concentration, from which the equilibrium constant for dimer radical cation formation has been estimated to be 4.9×10³ dm³ mol⁻¹. H atoms were found to react with NATU with a rate constant of 5 × 10⁹ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹, giving a transient species having an absorption maximum at 310 nm, which has been assigned to H-atom addition to the double bond in the allyl group. Acetoneketyl radicals reacted with NATU at acidic pH values and the species formed underwent reaction with parent NATU molecule. Reaction of Cl^.−₂ radicals (k = 4.6 × 10⁹ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹) at pH 1 was found to give a transient species with λ_max at 400 nm. At the same pH, reaction of OH radicals also gave transient species, having a similar spectrum, but the yield was lower. This showed that OH radicals react with NATU by two mechanisms, viz., one-electron oxidation, as well as addition to the allylic double bond. From the absorbance values at 410 nm, it has been estimated that around 38% of the OH radicals abstract H atoms and the remaining 62% of the OH radicals add to the allylic double bond.     

Radiation chemistry of xylenol orange in aqueous solutions at different acidities

The radiolytic decolourization and peroxide formation have been studied in aqueous solutions of xylenol orange (XO) at different acidities. The G(-XO) increases from 0.78 at pH 11, to 3.70 at pH 3. The peroxide yield also increases from 1.19 at pH 11, to 3.34 in 0.025 mol dm^-3 H₂SO₄. In alkaline solutions only the OH^. decolourizes XO whereas in acidic solutions both the H and OH^. decolourize XO though G(-XO) due to H-atoms is less. The ionization of the phenolic group in XO influences the e^-_aq reaction with it. In alkaline solution, the oxidized and reduced XO formed by OH^. and e^-_aq reactions, respectively, react together regenerating original XO. Near 0.025 mol dm^-3 H₂SO₄, there is an abstraction of H-atom from XO by HO₂ whereas at other acidities, H₂O₂ is formed by disproportionation of peroxides. Reaction schemes have been given to explain the various radiolytic yields.     

Nature of sulfur centered radicals formed during pulse radiolysis of 2-mercaptopyridine in aqueous solutions

Spectral, redox and kinetic properties of the transient species formed by the reaction of 2- mercaptopyridine (2-MPy) with oxidants such as OH, Br¯₂ ^. ; N ^. ₃ and Cl¯₂ ^. radicals and reductants such as e¯_aq, H-atoms and (CH₃)₂ ^. COH radicals have been studied by pulse radiolysis technique. Reaction of one-electron oxidants with 2-MPy at pH 11.5 led to the formation of 2-pyridyl thiyl radical. The reduction potential for the couple C₅H₄NS ^. /C₅H₄NS¯ was estimated to be 0.84 V vs NHE from the equilibrium studies with I¯₂ ^. /2I¯ couple. At pH 6.8, the reaction of N ^. ₃ radical with 2-MPy gave a cation radical derived from 2-MPy. At pH 6.8 and 11.5, OH radicals react with 2-MPy by addition pathway. Reaction of e¯_aq with 2-MPy was found to give a reducing radical capable of transferring electron to methyl viologen. At acidic pH, the reaction of (CH₃)₂ ^. COH radicals and H-atoms with 2-MPy gave transient species identical to those produced by the reaction of oxidising radicals, namely, OH radicals, Cl¯₂ ^. and Br¯₂ ^. radicals.     

Free radical reactions of pyridoxal (vitamin B6): a pulse radiolysis study

Redox reactions of pyridoxal (P-OH) with e¯_aq, ^. OH, N ^. ₃, SO ^. ₄¯ and various organo-haloperoxyl radicals have been studied using pulse radiolysis technique. The rate constants for the reaction of P-OH or P-O¯ with the above-mentioned radicals and the transient absorption spectra have been measured. The transients formed in the reaction of hydrated electron and oxidizing radicals with pyridoxal have been assigned. An attempt has been made to find a correlation between the rate constants and Taft parameter for the reactions with the organo-haloperoxyl radicals. It has also been observed that the one-electron oxidized radical of pyridoxal is repaired by uric acid. The reduction potential for the P-OH ^.+/P-OH couple at pH 7, as measured by cyclic voltammetry, has been found to be +1.11 V vs. NHE.     

Kinetic and spectral properties of the intermediates formed in the pulse radiolysis of 2-mercaptobenzimidazole

The reactions of primary species of water radiolysis such as e^- _aq, H* and *OH, and some specific one electron reductants and oxidants with 2-mercaptobenzimidazole have been studied at various pHs. *OH radical reaction with MBZ at pH 7 gave a transient species having absorption maxima (λ_max) at 330 and 590 nm. The transient species (pK_a = 3.6) was found to be neutral at this pH and was a mild oxidant. The initial transient species formed by the reaction of MBZ with e^{- aq} at pH 7 and with H atom at pH 0 were found to react with the parent molecule to form another transient species which has an absorption spectrum similar to that obtained by *OH radical reaction with λ_max at 590 nm. However the reaction is not quantitative. The kinetic, spectral, acid-base and redox properties of the transient species are reported.     

Redox reactions of basic fuchsin in homogeneous aqueous media

The pulse-radiolysis technique has been employed to understand the reaction mechanism and to characterize the transient species involved in the redox processes taking place in the radiation chemistry of basic fuchsin (BF⁺). One-electron reduction and oxidation reactions of BF⁺ have been carried out in homogeneous aqueous solutions employing various reducing (e _aq ^– , (CH₃)₂COH, CO ₂ ^– ) and oxidizing (N ₃, Br, Cl ₂ ^– Br ₂ ^– ) radicals. The absorption spectra of the transients formed in the above reactions have been attributed to semi-reduced and semi-oxidized species of BF⁺, respectively. The kinetic and spectroscopic properties of these transients have been evaluated. The reaction with H and OH radicals have also been performed and compared with those of specific one-electron reducing and oxidizing radicals. These reactions have been inferred predominantly by addition to BF⁺. Protolytic equilibria involving semi-reduced species of basic fuchsin have been studied over the pH range from 2 to 10 and the pK _a has been determined to be 3.9.     

Redox reactions of 2-hydroxy pyridine: A pulse radiolysis study

Rate constants for reactions of 2-pyridinol with one electron reductants, such ase _aq ⁻ and H atoms and one-electron oxidants, viz. OH, N₃, Br ₂ ⁻ , C1 ₂ ⁻ and O⁻ have been determined at different pH values using the pulse radiolysis technique. From the corrected absorption spectra of the product transient species, the extinction coefficients of these species at their respective absorption maxima have been determined. The kinetics of decay of these transients have been investigated. ThepK _a values of transients formed bye _aq ⁻ and OH radical reactions have been estimated to be 7.6 and 3.5 respectively. Rate constants for electron transfer from semireduced 2-pyridinol to different electron acceptors have been determined.     

Reactions of sulphacetamide with pulse radiolytically generated reducing radicals

Pulse radiolysis technique has been used to characterise the transients formed by the reaction of sulphacetamide with e_aq ^- and subsequently study the electron transfer reactions from the transient to various electron acceptors such as thionine, safranine-T and methyl viologen. The results indicate that the semi-reduced sulphacetamide species are highly reducing in nature as they transfer electrons to various dyes with near diffusion controlled rates (k > 10⁹dm³mol⁻¹s⁻¹) in alkaline and acidic solutions. The influence of oxygen on the decay behaviour of semi-reduced species has been investigated and the results show that O₂ reaction with SA⁻ is very fast (k = 1.5 × l0⁹dm³mol⁻¹s⁻¹) and leads to the formation of a permanent-coloured product. Reactions of H.atoms resulted in the formation of two transient species whose spectral, kinetic and acid-base characteristics have also been investigated.     

Evidence of the hydroxyl radical formation upon the photolysis of an iron-rich clay in aqueous solutions

With the use of laser flash photolysis, the formation of hydroxyl radicals upon the photolysis of an iron-rich clay (montmorillonite KSF) was demonstrated. The ^•OH radical was shown to be formed by the photolysis of the Fe(OH)_aq ²⁺ complex that escaped from the clay into the solution bulk.     

Gamma radiolysis of anthraquinone dye aqueous solution

The decoloration of Acid Blue 62 in aqueous solution was mainly attributed to the attack of the e _aq ^– and OH radicals on the dye molecule. The mechanisms of these reactions were investigated in detail including the influence of pH, dose rate and oxygen.     

The kinetics of radical reactions in the radiolysis of aqueous solutions of organic nitro compounds

Pulsed radiolysis and computer simulation of gamma radiolytic decomposition of organic nitrates in aqueous solutions were performed to determine the rate constants for reactions with the participation of intermediates determining the mechanism of the process. 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene, 2,4-dinitrotoluene, and cyclic nitramine, cyclotrimethylene-trinitramine, were used as substrates. The bimolecular rate constants for the reactions of hydrated electrons (e _aq ^? ) and hydroxyl radicals (^?OH) with the substrates and constants for the recombination of electron adducts and carbon-centered radicals (the products of the detachment of the H atom from the nitro compound molecule by the OH radical) were determined by direct measurements with the use of high-speed spectrophotometry. Computer simulation of the reaction scheme was used to estimate the rate constant for significant reactions, monomolecular forward and back reactions of electron adducts and electron transfer to molecular oxygen, and refine the rate constant for the reaction of e _aq ^? with tert-butanol.     

Radiolytic degradation of 4-nitrophenol in aqueous solutions: Pulse and steady state radiolysis study

The radiation induced degradation of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) has been studied by gamma irradiation, while the reactivity and spectral features of the short lived transients formed by reaction with primary transient radicals at different pHs has been investigated by pulse radiolysis technique. In steady state radiolysis a dose of 4.4 k Gy is able to degrade 98% of 1×10⁻⁴ mol dm⁻³ 4-NP. 4-NP has pK_a at 7.1, above which it is present in the anionic form. At pH 5.2, ^•OH and N₃^• radicals were found to react with 4-NP with rate constants of 4.1×10⁹ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹ and 2.8×10⁸ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹, respectively. Differences in the absorption spectra of species formed in the reactions of 4-NP with ^•OH and N₃^• radicals suggested that ^•OH radicals add to the aromatic ring of 4-NP along with electron transfer reaction, whereas N₃^• radicals undergo only electron transfer reaction. At pH 9.2, rate constants for the reaction of ^•OH radicals with 4-NP was found to be higher by a factor of 2 compared to that at pH 5.2. This has been assigned to the deprotonation of 4-NP at pH 9.2.     

Nature of transient species formed during pulse radiolysis of 4-mercaptopyridine in aqueous solutions: Formation of a dimer radical species by one-electron reduction reaction

Reactions of one-electron reducing as well as oxidizing radicals with 4-mercaptopyridine (4-MPy) were studied in aqueous solutions at different pH values. One-electron oxidizing radicals such as N₃ and Br₂ ^–, react with 4-MPy by electron transfer reaction at pH 11 to give 4-pyridylthiyl radical. The reduction potential for the couple 4-PyS /4-PyS^– was estimated to be 0.93V vs. NHE by equilibrium reaction with I₂ ^– /2I^– couple. At pH 6.8, where the compound is predominantly present in the thione form, the transient species formed is a cation radical. OH radicals react with 4-MPy by addition to the pyridine ring at pH 6.8 and 11. At pH 0, OH radicals as well as one-electron oxidants like Cl₂ ^– and Br₂ ^– radicals react with 4-MPy to produce the protonated form of 4-pyridylthiyl radical. At pH 6.8 and 11, e_aq ^– reaction with 4-MPy gave an initial adducts which reacted with the parent molecule to give dimer radicals. Acetone ketyl radicals were unable to reduce 4-MPy at neutral pH. Reducing radicals like H-atoms and acetone ketyl radicals reacted with 4-MPy at acidic pH by H-abstraction reaction to give the same species as produced by oxidizing radicals.