Transients and cooperative action of β-carotene, vitamin E and C in biological systems in vitro under irradiation

Using N^•₃ species as specific electron acceptor a defined ascorbate radical: AH^•↔A^•−+H⁺ (λ_max=360 nm, =3400 dm³ mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹) is observed. The attack of DMSO^•+ on vit.E results in a vit.E^• radical (k=1×10⁹ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹; λ_max=425 nm, =2400 dm³ mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹; 2k=4.7×10⁸ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹). Vit.E-acetate leads to the formation of a radical cation (vit.E-ac^•+). β-carotene reacts also with DMSO^•+ forming a radical cation, β-car^•+ (k=1.75×10⁸ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹; λ_max=942 nm, =14 600 dm³ mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹), which probably leads to the formation of a dimer radical cation, (β-car)^•+₂ (k=2.5×10⁷ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹).

Using E.coli bacteria (AB1157) as a model system in vitro it was found that all three vitamins are rather efficient radiation protecting agents. They can also increase the activity of cytostatica, e.g., mitomycin C (MMC), by electron transfer process. The mixture of vit.E-ac and β-car acts contradictory, but adding vit.C to it a strong cooperative enhancement of the MMC activity is observed once again. A relationship between the pulse radiolysis and the radiation biological data is found and discussed. A possible explanation of the previously reported trials concerning the role of vit.E and β-car on the increased occurence of lung and other types of cancer in smokers and drinkers is presented.     

Far-UV laser flash photolysis in solution. A study of the chemistry of 1,1-dimethylsilene in hydrocarbon solvents

The far-UV (193 nm) laser flash photolysis of nitrogen-saturated isooctane solutions of 1,1-dimethylsiletane allows the direct detection of 1,1-dimethylsilene as a transient species, which (at low laser intensities) decays with pseudo-first-order kinetics (τ 10 μs) and exhibits a UV absorption spectrum with λ_max 255 nm. Characteristic rapid quenching is observed for the silene with methanol (k_McOH = (4.9 ± 0.2) × 10⁹ M⁻¹ s⁻¹), tert-butanol (k_BuOH = (1.8 ± 0.1) × 10⁹ M⁻¹ s⁻¹) and oxygen (k_O2 = (2.0 ± 0.5) × 10⁸ M⁻¹ s⁻¹). The Arrhenius activation parameters for the reaction with methanol have been determined to be E_a = −2.6 ± 0.6 kcal mol⁻¹ and log A = 7.7 ± 0.3.     

Pulse radiolysis studies of 4,7-phenanthroline(II)

The one-electron reduction of 4,7-phenanthroline (P) in aqueous solutions at neutral pH has been further studied by pulse radiolysis. The spectral and kinetic properties of the transient formed due to the reaction of 4,7-phenanthroline with hydrated electron were investigated. The transient absorption spectrum obtained 5μs after the pulse exhibits a broad band with a λ_max at 420 nm. The λ_max is 10 nm blue shift compared with the absorption spectrum obtained at pH 2.9 where the reactant was the protonated form. The bimolecular'rate constant of the reaction of 4,7-phenanthroline with hydrated electron was 0etermined to be (2.2±0.1)×10¹⁰ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹. It was found that the decay of the transient was mainly following a first-order kinetics. The first-order decay rate constant was determined to be (1.25±0.1)×10⁴s⁻¹.     

Redox reactions of 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde (o-vanillin) in aqueous solution

Pulse radiolysis technique has been employed to study the reactions of oxidizing (^√OH, N₃^√) and reducing radicals (e⁻_aq, CO₂^√−, acetone ketyl radical) with 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde (o-vanillin) at different pH. Hydroxyl radicals react mostly by addition reaction forming radical adducts (λ_max=420 nm) and the oxidation is only a minor process even in the alkaline region. The reaction with azide radicals produced phenoxyl radicals (λ_max=340 nm), which are formed on fast deprotonation of solute radical cation. Using PMZ^√+/PMZ and ABTS^√−/ABTS²⁻ as the reference couple, different methods are employed to determine the one-electron reduction potential of o-vanillin and the average value is estimated to be 1.076±0.004 V vs. NHE at pH 6. The phenoxyl radicals of o-vanillin were able to oxidize ABTS²⁻ quantitatively. The e_aq⁻ is observed to react with o-vanillin with rate constant value of 2×10¹⁰ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹. CO₂^√− and acetone ketyl radical are also observed to react with o-vanillin by electron transfer mechanism and showed the formation of transient absorption bands with λ_max at 350 and 390 nm at pH 4.5 and 9.7, respectively. The pK_a of the one-electron reduced species was determined to be 8.1. The results indicate that the aldehydic group is the most preferred site for electron addition.     

Structural relaxation in the 1,2,6-trimethyl-3,5-diphenyl-4-pyridone triplet

On 308 nm or 337.1 nm laser pulse excitation, 1,2,6-trimethyl-3,5-diphenyl-4-pyridone (2) forms triplets (λ_max ^T = 330 – 335 nm) characterized by short lifetimes (2 – 3 μs) in fluid solutions at room temperature. The triplet yields (0.07 – 0.5) decrease on going from non-polar solvents to polar/hydrogen-bonding solvents. The triplet exhibits a reluctant quenching behavior toward quenchers with triplet energies in the range 40 – 66 kcal mol⁻¹, although the spectroscopic triplet energy of 2 is estimated to be 74 kcal mol⁻¹ (from phosphorescence spectra in low temperature glasses). This inefficient energy transfer quenching is explained in terms of extensive relaxation in the triplet state of 2 in fluid solutions, most probably in the form of twisting about the double bonds of the heterocyclic ring (thereby relieving the steric strain). The triplets of 2 and its oxygen analogue (1) are shown to be efficient donors of electrons and energy in their interactions with paraquat and oxygen respectively.     

Thermochemistry of organosilicon compounds VII. Permethylcyclosilazanes and 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisilazane

The enthalpy of formation (ΔH_f⁰), enthalpy of evaporation (ΔH_v⁰) and enthalpy of atomization (ΔH_a) of permethylcyclosilazanes (Me₂SiNH)_n (n = 3, 4) and 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisilazane (Me₂SiH)₂NH have been determined. The enthalpies of formation of these compounds were compared with those calculated by the Benson-Buss-Franklin and Tatevskii additive schemes. In higher permethylcyclosilazanes the energy of the endocyclic Si---N bond is 306 ± 2 kJ mol⁻¹ (73 kcal mol⁻¹), that is 12 ± 2 kJ mol⁻¹ (3 kcal mol⁻¹) lower than the energy of the acyclic Si---N bond. The strain energy of the cyclotrisilazane ring is estimated to be 10.5 kJ mol⁻¹ (2.5 kcal mol⁻¹), whereas the energy of the ring Si---N bond is 295 kJ mol⁻¹ (70.5 kcal mol⁻¹).

The thermochemical data for permethylcyclosilazanes were compared with the corresponding values for permethylcyclosiloxanes calculated from the results of previously reported studies.     

One-electron oxidation of mitomycin C and its corresponding peroxyl radicals. A steady-state and pulse radiolysis study

The one-electron oxidation of Mitomycin C (MMC) as well as the formation of the corresponding peroxyl radicals were investigated by both steady-state and pulse radiolysis. The steady-state MMC-radiolysis by OH-attack followed at both absorption bands showed different yields: at 218 nm G_i (-MMC) = 3.0 and at 364 nm G_i (-MMC) = 3.9, indicating the formation of various not yet identified products, among which ammonia was determined, G(NH₃) = 0.81. By means of pulse radiolysis it was established a total κ (OH + MMC) = (5.8 ± 0.2) × 10⁹ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹. The transient absorption spectrum from the one-electron oxidized MMC showed absorption maxima at 295 nm (ε = 9950 dm³ mol⁻¹ cm^t-1), 410 nm (ε = 1450 dm³ mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹) and 505 nm ( ε = 5420 dm³ mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹). At 280–320 and 505 nm and above they exhibit in the first 150 μs a first order decay, κ₁ = (0.85 ± 0.1) × 10³ s⁻¹, and followed upto ms time range, by a second order decay, 2κ = (1.3 ± 0.3) × 10⁸ dm³ mol^-1 s⁻¹. Around 410 nm the kinetics are rather mixed and could not be resolved.

The steady-state MMC-radiolysis in the presence of oxygen featured a proportionality towards the absorbed dose for both MMC-absorption bands, resulting in a G_i (-MMC) = 1.5. Among several products ammonia-yield was determined G(NH₃) = 0.52. The formation of MMC-peroxyl radicals was studied by pulse radiolysis, likewise in neutral aqueous solution, but saturated with a gas mixture of 80% N₂O and 20% O₂. The maxima of the observed transient spectrum are slightly shifted compared to that of the one-electron oxidized MMC-species, namely: 290 nm (ε = 10100 dm³ mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹), 410 nm (ε = 2900 dm³ mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹) and 520 nm (ε = 5500 dm³ mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹). The O₂-addition to the MMC-one-electron oxidized transients was found to be at 290 to 410 nm gk(MMC·OH + O₂) = 5 × 10⁷ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹, around 480 nm κ = 1.6 × 10⁸ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹ and at 510 nm and above, κ = 3 × 10⁸ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹. The decay kinetics of the MMC-peroxyl radicals were also found to be different at the various absorption bands, but predominantly of first order; at 290–420 nm κ₁ = 1.5 × 10³ s⁻¹ and at 500 nm and above, κ = 7.0 × 10³ s⁻¹.

The presented results are of interest for the radiation behaviour of MMC as well as for its application as an antitumor drug in the combined radiation-chemotherapy of patients.     

Photochemistry of dicyanopyridines

The photochemistry of a variety of dicyanopyridines (2,3-, 2,4-, 2,5-, 2,6-, 3,4- and 3,5-dicyanopyridine) in solution at room temperature was investigated. Pulsed UV (308 nm) laser irradiation in deoxygenated acetonitrile yields the triplet state with lifetimes between 4 and 10 μs and absorption bands in the 400 and 320 nm regions. In the presence of added HCl an air-insensitive transient (τ ≈ 10–12 μs, λ_max ≈ 360–380 nm) was observed, suggesting the formation of a protonated excited state.

Irradiation in the presence of amines resulted in the production of the pyridyl radical anion (τ ≈ 40–80 μs, air sensitive, λ_max ≈ 360–380 nm) formed by electron transfer from the amine to the pyridine triplet excited state. Stern-Volmer analysis gave electron transfer rate constants in the range (1–8) × 10⁻⁸ M⁻¹ s⁻¹.

In methanol solvent, irradiation yielded an air-insensitive transient assigned as the neutral pyridyl radical (τ ≈ 30–200 μs, λ_max ≈ 370–385 nm). The formation of these transients is discussed in the context of previous photochemical electron spin resonance and product studies.     

Extraction and sensitive spectrophotometric determination of ytterbium with 2-(3,5-dichloro-2-pyridylazo)-5-dimethylaminophenol

The operating conditions for the absorptiometric determination of Yb(III) with the reagent 2-(3,5-dichloro-2-pyridylazo)-5-dimethylaminophenol (3,5-diClDMPAP) by a liquid—liquid extraction technique are presented. The complex yields a molar absorptivity of 1.54 × 10⁵l.mole⁻¹.cm⁻¹ (λ_max = 588 nm) and an optimum concentration range of 0.025–1.360n mg/l., at pH = 10. The method developed has been applied to the determination of Yb(III) in synthetic and concrete mixtures.     

Kinetic study of trifluoromethylation with s-(trifluoromethyl) dibenzothiophenium salts

The kinetic parameters were determined for C-trifluoromethylation of aniline with S-(trifluoromethyl)dibenzothiophenium triflate (1), its 3,7-dinitro derivative (2) and S-(trifluoromethyl)diphenylsulfonium triflate (3) in DMF-d₇. The higher reactivity of heterocyclic 1 compared with non-heterocyclic 3 could be explained on the basis of its greatly enhanced activation entropy (ΔS^≠: −11.2 cal mol ⁻¹ K⁻¹ for 1; −47.1 for 3), but not its enhanced activation enthalpy (ΔH^≠: 21.2 kcal mol⁻¹ for 1; 12.1 for 3). The aromatic delocalization of the heterocyclic ring may thus be only slightly disturbed by the S-trifluoromethyl substituent. The high reactivity of 2 was attributed to the great electron deficiency caused by two nitro groups in addition to the heterocyclic salt system (ΔH^≠ 17.0 kcal mol⁻¹, ΔS^≠ −9.1 cal mol⁻¹ K⁻¹ for 2). The reaction mechanism is discussed; the conventional S_N2 attack mechanism was ruled out and a mechanism for a side-on attack to the CF₃-S bond may possibly be applicable.     

Simultaneous derivative spectrophotometric determination of thorium and uranium in a micellar medium

Derivative photometric methods for trace analysis of Th(IV) and UO₂(II), and their simultaneous determination in mixtures using 5,8-dihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone in a micellar medium are reported. Molar absorptivity and Sandell's sensitivity of 1:2 Th(IV) and 1:1 UO₂(II) complexes at their λ_max, 614.5 nm and 637.0 nm are, 1.19 × 10⁴ 1/mol/cm and 1.12 × 10⁴ 1/mol/cm and 1.95 × 10⁻² μg/cm² and 2.13 × 10⁻² μg/cm² μg/cm², respectively. Calibration graph is linear over the range 9.28 × 10⁻²−18.56 μg/ml of Th(IV) and 9.52 × 10⁻²−19.04 μg/ml of UO₂(II). Though presence of Th(IV) and UO₂(II) causes interference in each others determination, 9.28 × 10⁻¹−9.28 μg/ml Th(IV) and 9.52 × 10⁻¹−9.52 μg/ml UO₂(II) when present together, can be simultaneously determined using derivative spectra.     

Structures and energetics of C3H6S isomers: a Gaussian-3 ab initio study

Twenty-two isomers/conformers of C₃H₆S^+√ radical cations have been identified and their heats of formation (ΔH_f) at 0 and 298 K have been calculated using the Gaussian-3 (G3) method. Seven of these isomers are known and their ΔH_f data are available in the literature for comparison. The least energy isomer is found to be the thioacetone radical cation (4⁺) with C_2v symmetry. In contrast, the least energy C₃H₆O^+√ isomer is the 1-propen-2-ol radical cation. The G3 ΔH_f298 of 4⁺ is calculated to be 859.4 kJ mol⁻¹, ca. 38 kJ mol⁻¹ higher than the literature value, ≤821 kJ mol⁻¹. For allyl mercaptan radical cation (7⁺), the G3 ΔH_f298 is calculated to be 927.8 kJ mol⁻¹, also not in good agreement with the experimental estimate, 956 kJ mol⁻¹. Upon examining the experimental data and carrying out further calculations, it is shown that the G3 ΔH_f298 values for 4⁺ and 7⁺ should be more reliable than the compiled values. For the five remaining cations with available experimental thermal data, the agreement between the experimental and G3 results ranges from fair to excellent.

Cation CH₃CHSCH₂^+√ (10⁺) has the least energy among the eleven distonic radical cations identified. Their ΔH_f298 values range from 918 to 1151 kJ mol⁻¹. Nevertheless, only one of them, CH₂=SCH₂CH₂^+√ (12⁺), has been observed. Its G3 ΔH_f298 value is 980.9 kJ mol⁻¹, in fair agreement with the experimental result, 990 kJ mol⁻¹.

A couple of reactions involving C₃H₆S^+√ isomers CH₂=SCH₂CH₂^+√ (12⁺) and trimethylene sulfide radical cation (13⁺) have also been studied with the G3 method and the results are consistent with experimental findings.     

The triple fluorescence of benzanilide and the dielectric medium modulation of its competitive excitation

The fluorescence of the benzanilide molecule at 298 K is inferred to consist of three independent electronic transitions associated with the single ground-state molecular species. F₁ (λ_max340 nm), the normal fluorescence is observed weakly and is ascribed to an n,π*,-π,π* mixed state. F′₂ is ascribed to the proton-transfer imidol tautomer fluorescence (previously reported) with unresolved λ_max (inferred at ≈460 nm). F″₂ is ascribed to a charge-transfer state fluorescence to the ground state, and occurs as a resolved CT transition in tetrahydrofuran at λ_max 520 nm. Comparison of the spectra of N-methylbenzanilide exhibiting only F₁ and F″₂ (CT) permitted the analysis of the benzanilide spectra.     

Kinetic study of thermal decomposition of CoOOH

The kinetics of the thermal decomposition of CoOOH powder has been studied isothermally in a temperature range of 260—310°C in air. The reaction was found to proceed by the advance of a two-dimensional reaction interface. The kinetics results indicate that there are two phases in the decomposition in this temperature range: up to 280°C with an activation energy E₁ = 34.75 kcal mol⁻¹ and above 280°C with E₂ = 18.91 kcal mol⁻¹. A reaction mechanism is proposed to account for these observations.     

Effect of fluorine substitution on the OH-radical-induced electron-transfer reaction in aqueous solutions of fluorinated alkyl iodides

The transient optical absorption bands formed at λ_max=340 and 435 nm, on reaction of ^√OH radicals in aerated acidic aqueous solutions of 1,1,1-trifluoro-2-iodoethane at low and high solute concentration, have been assigned to monomer and dimer radical cations, respectively. The deprotonation of the solute radical cations is the rate-determining step for the decay of the dimer radical cations. The stability constant for the dimer radical cation is determined to be 50 dm³ mol⁻¹ at 25°C. The dimer radical cation is a strong one-electron oxidant. Quantum chemical calculations and experimental results confirm that fluorine reduces the electron density at iodine and the ^√OH-radical-induced oxidation of fluoroiodoalkanes becomes a difficult process compared to iodoalkanes.     

MNDO study of the proton affinity of fluorinated formaldehydes and acetones

The MNDO molecular orbital method is employed to calculate the proton affinities of fluorinated formaldehydes and acetones. Agreement with experimentally reported proton affinities is good. In the acetone series a decrease in proton affinity is calculated for each successive fluorine substituent. The calculated strength of the intramolecular hydrogen bond in the protonated fluoro-formaldehydes and acetones is 0.6—2.7 kcal mol⁻¹, in good agreement with the experimental value of 2—3 kcal mol⁻¹ in the protonated fluoroacetones. Examination of the calculated charge distribution shows that the trends in proton affinity can be understood qualitatively both in terms of initial-state and final-state effects caused by the fluorine substituents. Protonation at the fluorine atom is less stable by about 25 kcal mol⁻¹ than protonation at the oxygen atom for monofluoroacetone.     

Ab initio study of the two competitive channels HO2 + H → H2 + O2 and HO2 + H → H2O + O

Saddle point geometries and barrier heights have been calculated for the H abstraction reaction HO₂(²A″)+H(²S) → H₂(¹Σ⁺_g)+O₂(³Σ⁻_g) and the concerted H approach-O removing reaction HO₂ (²A″)+H(²S) → H₂O(¹A₁)+O(³P) by using SDCI wavefunctions with a valence double-zeta plus polarization basis set. The saddle points are found to be of C_s symmetry and the barrier heights are respectively 5.3 and 19.8 kcal by including size consistent correction. Moreoever kinetic parameters have been evaluated within the framework of the TST theory. So activation energies and the rate constants are estimated to be respectively 2.3 kcal and 0.4×10⁹ ℓ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹ for the first reaction, 20.0 kcal and 5.4.10⁻⁵ ℓ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹ for the second. Comparison of these results with experimental determinations shows that hydrogen abstraction on HO₂ is an efficient mechanism for the formation of H₂ + O₂, while the concerted mechanism envisaged for the formation of H₂O + O is highly unlikely.     

TEMPO-initiated oxidation of 2-aminophenol to 2-aminophenoxazin-3-one

The oxidation reaction of 2-aminophenol (OAP) to 2-aminophenoxazin-3-one (APX) initiated by 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxyl (TEMPO) has been investigated in methanol at ambient temperature. The oxidation of OAP was followed by electronic spectroscopy and the rate constants were determined according to the rate law −d[OAP]/dt=k_obs[OAP][TEMPO]. The rate constant, activation enthalpy and entropy at 298 K are as follows: k_obs (dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹)=(1.49±0.02)×10⁻⁴, E_a=18±5 kJ mol⁻¹, ΔH^‡=15±4 kJ mol⁻¹, ΔS^‡=−82±17 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹. The results of oxidation of OAP show that the formation of 2-aminophenoxyl radical is the key step in the activation process of the substrate.     

Can chlorine anion catalyze the reaction of HOCl with HCl?

The reaction of HOCl + HCl → Cl₂ + H₂O in the presence of chlorine anion Cl⁻ has been studied using ab initio methods. The overall exothermicity is 15.5 kcal mol⁻¹ and this reaction has been shown to have a high activation barrier of 46.5 kcal mol⁻¹. Cl⁻ is found to catalyze the reaction via the formation of HOCl·Cl⁻, ClH·HOCl·Cl⁻ and Cl⁻·H₂) intermediate ion-molecule complexes or by interacting with a concerted four-center transition state of the reaction of HOCl + HCl.     

Ab initio molecular orbital study on three feasible mechanisms for substitution of the vinylic carbon in F2C=C(OMs)BMe3−

A substitution on 2,2-difluorovinylic carbon was investigated by using ab initio molecular orbital calculations. Three feasible mechanisms, which are the S_N1-like, the S_N2-type and the addition-elimination mechanisms, were ex- amined for a model borate, 2,2-difluoro-1-mesyloxyvinyl(trimethyl)borate. Four TSs were obtained depending on the position of Li⁺ around the vinylborate although activation energies in the gas phase are rather high (ca. 30–40 kcal mol⁻¹) in comparison with that expected from the experimental conditions. It was confirmed at the SCRF-IPCM calculations that the solvent effect reduces the acti- vation energy of one S_N2-type mechanism very much (4. l kcal mol⁻¹ at the B3LYP/6-31+G^*//RHF/6-31+G^/s* level of theory) while those for the other mechanisms do not change very much. Therefore, the S_N2-type mechanism is applicable to the substitution reaction observed for the vinylborate.