Development of novel antioxidants: design,synthesis, and reactivity

We are attempting to develop novel synthetic antioxidants aimed at retarding the effects of free-radical induced cell damage. In this paper we discuss the design strategy and report the synthesis of seven novel antioxidants, including six catechols and a benzylic phenol. The bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE) for the most active (weakest) OH bond in each molecule was calculated by theoretical methods, as well as the BDE for the semiquinone radical. Reaction rates with the nitrogen-centered free radical DPPH(*) were measured in ethyl acetate. The log of k(DPPH) for bimolecular reaction correlated well with the primary BDE. The correlation between rate constants and calculated BDEs shows that the BDE is a good predictor of antioxidant activity with DPPH(*), suggesting that our design criteria are useful and that these compounds should undergo further testing in cell cultures and in animal models.     

A Comparison of Two Variational Methods

A discussion is given of the relation between the maximum functionaltheorem and Schwinger's variational principle, and it is shownthat the bound given by Schwinger's principle is better thanor the same as that given by the maximum functional theorem.     

Polypyrroles as antioxidants: kinetic studies on reactions of bilirubin and biliverdin dimethyl esters and synthetic model compounds with peroxyl radicals in solution. Chemical calculations on selected typical structures

[reaction: see text] Rate constants for hydrogen-atom transfer (HAT) from bilirubin dimethyl ester (BRDE) and biliverdin dimethyl ester (BVDE) to peroxyl radicals during inhibited autoxidation of styrene initiated by azo-bisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) were k(inh)(BRDE) = 22.5 x 10(4) and k(inh)(BVDE) = 10.2 x 10(4) M(-1) s(-1), and the stoichiometric factors (n) were 2.0 and 2.7, respectively. A synthetic tetrapyrrole (bis(dipyrromethene)) containing the alpha-central (2,2') CH2 linkage gave k(inh) = 39.9 x 10(4) M(-1) s(-1) and n = 2.3, whereas the beta-linked (3,3') isomer was not an active antioxidant. Several dipyrrinones were synthesized as mimics of the two outer heterocyclic rings of bilirubin and biliverdin. The dipyrrinones containing N-H groups in each ring were active antioxidants, whereas those lacking two such "free" N-H groups, such as N-CH3 dipyrrinones and dipyrromethenes, did not exhibit antioxidant activity. Overall, the relative k(inh) values compared to those of phenolic antioxidants, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methoxyphenol (DBHA) and 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol (BHT), were 2,2'-bis(dipyrromethene) > BRDE > DBHA > dipyrrinones > BVDE > BHT. This general trend in antioxidant activities was also observed for the inhibited autoxidation of cumene initiated by AIBN. Chemical calculations of the N-H bond dissociation enthalpies (BDEs) of the typical structures support a HAT mechanism from N-H groups to trap peroxyl radicals. Intramolecular hydrogen bonding of intermediate nitrogen radicals has a major influence on the antioxidant activities of all compounds studied. Indeed, chemical calculations showed that the initial nitrogen radical from a dipyrrinone is stabilized by 9.0 kcal/mol because of H-bonding between the N-H remaining on one ring and the ground-state pyrrolyl radical of the adjacent ring in the natural zusammen structure. The calculated minimum structure of bilirubin shows strong intramolecular H-bonding of the N-H groups with carbonyl groups resulting in the known "ridge-tile" structure which is not an active HAT antioxidant. The calculated minimum structure of biliverdin is planar. BRDE is readily converted into BVDE by reaction with the electron-deficient DPPH* radical under argon in chlorobenzene. An electron-transfer mechanism is proposed for the initiating step in this reaction, and this is supported by the relatively low ionizing potential of a model dipyrrole representing the two central rings of bilirubin.     

Further Gurtin-type Variational Principles for Linear Initial Value Problems

Following the variational principles for linear initial valueproblems associated with the wave and heat conduction equationsdiscussed by Gurtin and Leitmann and using time convolutionsit is shown that general variational principles exist for theseproblems with sources on the boundaries and within the regionunder consideration.     

Modified Locally One Dimensional Methods for Parabolic Partial Differential Equations in Two Space Variables

In this note we consider the locally one dimensional methodas discussed in Gourlay & Mitchell (1969, 1972) and indicatehow this scheme can be used to solve accurately a parabolicpartial differential equation in two space variables.