Comparative evaluation of Fe(III) reducing power-based antioxidant capacity assays in the presence of phenanthroline, batho-phenanthroline, tripyridyltriazine (FRAP), and ferricyanide reagents

The chemical diversity of antioxidants in complex matrices such as plant extracts makes it difficult to separate and quantify antioxidants from these solutions. Therefore it is desirable to establish methods that can measure the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels directly from plant extracts. Iron(III)-based TAC assays, especially the most widely used FRAP (ferric-reducing antioxidant power), play an important role in this regard. However, many problems have been reported in the application of the FRAP assay, the most serious one being the incomplete oxidation of a number of antioxidants during the time protocol of the assay. Thus, six different ferric ion-based total antioxidant capacity (TAC) assays have been comparatively tested, modified, and improved so as to obtain more sensitive and precise results for complex mixtures, namely: 1,10-phenanthroline (o-phen) method (with incubation), batho-phenanthroline method (with incubation), original FRAP method, modified FRAP method (with incubation), original ferricyanide method, and modified ferricyanide method (with incubation). Two new assays in this regard (i.e., o-phen and batho-phen) have been established, and the existing assays (FRAP and ferricyanide) have been modified so as to let the oxidation reactions of antioxidants reach completion. The molar absorptivity for a variety of antioxidants was highest for modified FRAP, batho-phen, and original FRAP methods. The absorption maximum wavelength shifted batochromically to a higher extent for modified ferricyanide, FRAP, and batho-phen procedures, decreasing the possibility of interferences due to organics absorbing in the near-UV range of the visible spectrum where most antioxidant assays are performed. The linear concentration ranges were shown to be further extended and linear correlation coefficients improved with respect to the most widely used ferric-based assay, FRAP. Of the six assays tested and developed, only the modified ferricyanide procedure gave high intercept values and low addivitity of TAC values of constituents in complex mixtures, requiring further attention of method optimization. Thus, it was shown that the most widely used FRAP could be effectively modified, and o-phen, batho-phen, and ferricyanide methods constitute cheaper alternatives to FRAP under certain conditions, with partly improved molar absorptivity (and thus sensitivity) for antioxidants, lower intercept values (and higher precision), broader linear range (and higher flexibility), and better additivity of TAC values of antioxidant constituents in mixtures.     

A practical synthesis of new S,N-disubstituted derivatives of 5-(4-methylpiperidino)methyl-2-thiouracil

5-(4-Methylpiperidino)methyl-2-thiouracil (1) has been obtained via the Mannich reaction between 2-thiouracil, paraformaldehyde, and a cyclic secondary amine such as 4-methylpiperidine (4-MP) in ethanol. New S,N(1)-di-o-(m- and p-)bromo-(nitro-) benzyl-substituted derivatives have been synthesized successfully in the reactions of 1 with the corresponding o-(m- and p-)bromobenzyl bromides or o-(m- and p-) nitrobenzyl chlorides in DMF solution in the presence of K₂CO₃. The opposite method of synthesis, that is, the reaction between 2-o-(m- and p-)bromobenzylthio-1-o-(m- and p-)bromobenzyluracils and 2-o-(m- and p-)nitrobenzylthio-1-o-(m- and p-) nitrobenzyluracils (8), with paraformaldehyde and 4-methylpiperidine in ethanol failed, indicating the important role of the enol form of 2-thiouracil for the Mannich reaction to be successful.     

A momentum-space view of the chemical bond. I. The first-row Homonuclear diatomics

The electronic probability distribution in momentum space or electron momentum density (EMD) is studied in detail for the first-row homonuclear diatomics. The total density difference (molecule minus constituting atoms)is analyzed in terms of the separate orbital contributions. The nodal structure shown by the orbital EMD is characteristic for the various types of orbital (σ,σ*,=,=*), and is affected, by the amount of s-p hybridization. Directional and isotropic Compton profiles are used to study the bond-oscillation and bond-directional principles. The bond- directional principle does not hold for pe bonding. Spherically averaged EMD differences (SA Δ EMDs) are related to the changes in kinetic energy (ΔT) upon bond formation. The SA ΔEMDs and ΔT are rationalized by considering the different ranges of internuclear distance that are optimal for 2s-2s, 2p_o-2p_o and 2p_o-2p_o interaction. This leads to a reassessment of the role of the various orbitals in bonding complementing the picture based on orbital Hellmann- Feynman forces.     

The reactions of diborane with aryl-organotin compounds

A number of tetraaryltin compounds, Ar₄Sn (where Ar = phenyl, o- and p-tolyl, and p-chlorophenyl) and triphenyltin compounds, Ph₃SnX (where X = Cl, H, OH, OCOCH₃, and OCOCF₃) have been treated with diborane in tetrahydrofuran. Transmetallation occurs in which one or more aryl groups are transferred to boron. The organoboron intermediates give phenols upon oxidation and boronic and borinic acids upon hydrolysis. Pyridine complexes of organoboranes have also been isolated.     

Rhodium(III) as a homogeneous catalyst for the oxidative decolorization of ethyl orange with aqueous acidic chloramine-T: a spectrophotometric, kinetic and mechanistic study

The kinetics and mechanism of sodium N-chloro-p-toluenesulfonamide oxidative decolorization of ethyl orange (EO) in aqueous perchloric acid have been studied at 303 K in the presence of rhodium(III) chloride as catalyst. The reaction exhibits first-order dependence on [EO]_o and a fractional-order dependence on [CAT]_o, [H⁺] and [Rh^III]. The dielectric effect is positive. The stoichiometry of the reaction was found to be 1:1, and the oxidation products of EO were identified as N-(4-diethylamino-phenyl)-hydroxylamine and 4-nitroso-benzenesulfonic acid. The rhodium(III)-catalyzed reaction is about fourfold faster than the uncatalyzed reaction. The proposed mechanism and derived rate law are in agreement with the observed kinetic results.     

High-resolution solid-state 11B and 13C MAS NMR of icosahedral carboranes

The globular-shaped icosahedral carboranes, o-, m-, and p-C₂B₁₀H₁₂, yield high-resolution ¹¹B and ¹³C MAS solid-state NMR spectra. Chemical shifts and linewidths are comparable to those of solution spectra. Spin—lattice relaxation times indicate the quadrupolar mechanism to be dominant for the B-11 relaxation. Linewidths of spectra recorded at 96 MHz and 64 MHz were similar. At 298 K, the ¹³C T₁ of p-carborane was found to be an order of magnitude smaller than those of the other two isomers. This can be attributed to the higher phase transition temperature of p-carborane indicative of the stronger intermolecular dipolar CH interactions made possible by the para-carbon vertices. Substitution on o-carborane by a methyl group yields spectra of comparable linewidths to those of the parent compound. Substitution by a bulkier phenyl group, however, results in extensive broadening of both ¹¹B and 13C signals of the derivative 1-Ph-o-C₂B₁₀H₁₁.     

A new method for the cleavage of nitrobenzyl amides and ethers

A mild and efficient o- and p-nitrobenzyl cleavage protocol was developed. o- and p-nitrobenzyl groups were easily removed from a variety of substrates using 20% aqueous NaOH in methanol at 75 °C, presumably via oxidation at the benzylic position by oxygen dissolved in the solution. These easily introducible and removable nitrobenzyl groups can serve as valuable protecting groups for the synthesis of multifunctional, complex molecules.     

Synthesis of σ-(o-carboran-9-yl)- and σ-(m-carboran-9-yl)-π-cyclopentadienyldicarbonyliron and their rearrangement in reactions with bromine to π-(o-carboran-9-yl)cyclopentadienyl- and π-(m-carboran-9-yl)cyclopentadienyl-dicarbonylironbromides,respectively

9-o- and 9-m-carboranylcarboxylic acids were used to synthesize σ-(o-carboran-9-yl)- and σ-(m-carboran-9-yl)-π-cyclopentadienyldicarbonyliron. The latter complexes, in reactions with bromine, undergo rearrangement with the cleavage of the BFe σ-bond, involving migration of the 9-o- and 9-m-carboranyl groups into the cyclopentadienyl ring, to give π-(o-carboran-9-yl)cyclopentadienyl- and π-(m-carboran-9-yl)cyclopentadienyl-dicarbonyliron bromides, respectively. A simple method to obtain these acids by the oxidation of 9-alkyl-o- and 9-alkyl-m-carboranes with CrO₃ in CH₃COOH has been found.     

Kinetics of oxidation of o-dianisidine by hydrogen peroxide in the presence of antibody complexes of iron(III) coproporphyrin

The complex of iron(III) coproporphyrinl (FeCPI) with antibody D5E3 was studied as an artificial peroxidase, usingo-dianisidine as a substrate. At saturation with respect to antibody, the initial rates ofo-dianisidine oxidation are practically the same for free and bound FeCPI at a concentration 5 × 10^-9M, but the catalytic rate constant (k_c) for bound FeCPI exceed (k_c) for free FeCPI by two-to threefold. This difference can be explained by a real enhancement of (k_c) at the antibody-active site. The dependence of initial rates of the reaction on substrate concentrations obeyed Michaelis-Menten kinetics and revealed substrate activation at high concentrations ofo-dianisidine. A comparison of the Stern-Volmer constants foro-dianisidineinduced quenching of the porphyrin fluorescence proves that antibody-bound coproporphyrin is equivalently accessible to the substrate as protoporphyrin bound to apoperoxidase from horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Based on analysis of the (k_c) dependence on H₂O₂ concentrations in the FeCPI-antibody system, we suggest that interaction with hydrogen peroxide is the rate-limiting step for the oxidation reaction.     

Single and double bridged viologenes and intramolecular pimerization of their cation radicals

As an extension of our studies dealing with reversible redox systems, six tetraquaternary salts have been synthesized. These compounds contain two 4,4'-bipyridinium units which are connected by either one or two rigid bridges. The single bridged systems (o-, m-3, p-3) contain one o-, m- or p-xylylene bridge. The double bridged systems (o,o-4, o,m-4 and m,m-4) contain two xylylene bridges and represent a new class of cyclophanes. A new and very simple high dilution technique is described for the synthesis of these compounds. Depending upon ring size, some of the systems show different internal mobility with regard to flipping of the bridges and rotation of the pyridinium rings. By voltammetry of compounds 3 and 4, only two or three of the expected four potentials are observed. This is probably due to the highly stabilized diradical dications 3_SEM/SEM and 4_SEM/SEM. From a study of the concentration and temperature dependent UV/VIS spectra of the cation radicals, the equilibrium constants K₁ and K₂ for intra- and intermolecular pimerization (CT complexation) together with their thermodynamic data are evaluated. The strongest intramolecular pimerization is observed with o-3_SEM/SEM and o,o-4_SEM/SEM, which exist exclusively as pimers.     

Potentiometric acid-base properties of the chloroazoxine S dyes

The pK_a of the sulfonic group in the Azoxine S dye o-, m-, and p-chloro derivatives and the parent 7-phenylazo-8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid was determined potentiometrically. The indicators were prepared, obtained in the acid form by percolation through a cation exchange resin, and titrated with NaOH. The pK_a amounts to 3.69, 4.25, 3.65, and 3.71, respectively. Interpretation of the pK_a values is given.     

Oxidation of nitrotoluenes with air using N-hydroxyphthalimide analogues as key catalysts

Nitrotoluenes are efficiently oxidized with air to the corresponding nitrobenzoic acids by the use of N-acetoxyphthalimide (NAPI) as a key catalyst. Thus, p- and m-nitrotoluenes under 10 atm of air in the presence of NAPI combined with Co(OAc)₂ (0.5 mol%) and Mn(OAc)₂ (0.05 mol%) at 130°C afforded p- and m-nitrobenzoic acids in 81 and 92% yields, respectively. o-Nitrotoluene was oxidized to o-nitrobenzoic acid in 51% yield by the aid of NO₂.     

Electroanalytical study of isomeric trifluoromethyl-nitrosobenzene intermediates

The relative lifetimes of the o-, m- and p-trifluoromethylnitrosobenzene anion radicals produced in the electroreduction of the corresponding nitro compounds in N,N-dimethylformamide are compared. Potential step experiments coupled with cyclic voltammetry facilitate the comparison. The fate of the nitroso species is discussed in relation to the results of experiments in which o-, m- and p-trifluoromethylnitrobenzene were mass electrolyzed and the products spectrophotometrically identified.     

Photophysical properties of some phenetidines in non-polar and hydrogen bonding solvents at room temperature and 77 K

The present study was undertaken to investigate the photophysical processes in o-, m- and p-phenetidines, when dissolved in nonpolar and hydrogen bonding solvents, in their ground state and excited electronic state S₁, both at 300 and 77 K. In the ground as well as in the S₁ state it is proposed that the o-phenetidine molecule possesses a structure in which NH₂ and OC₂H₅ groups are away from each other, both in nonpolar cyclohexane (CH) and H-bond acceptor solvent triethylamine (TEA). The formation of a transient or nonemissive charge transfer (CT) complex resulting from strong excited state hydrogen bonding interaction with TEA is found to be responsible for the observed fluorescence quenching of the proton donor phenetidines at 300 K. From the room as well as low (77 K) temperature electronic absorption and steady state fluorescence studies, it was deduced that nonplanarity in the structure of the molecules increases as one moves from aniline to the phenetidines. It is suggested that in the solvent stiffening temperature 77 K, triplet states of all the phenetidines (o-, m- and p-) acquire some nπ* character due to conformational changes, whereas ππ* character is retained in their S₁ state. This facilitates a larger intersystem crossing (ISC) rate in phenetidines relative to the situation in aniline where both S₁ and T₁ possess the same nπ* nature at 77 K due to its more planar structure. However, ISC efficiency in phenetidines at 77 K is found to be impeded, especially in the case of o- and m-isomers, in the presence of TEA as inferred from the lowering of φ_p/φ_⨍ values and the increment of τ_p. In p-phenetidine, rapid equilibrium between a triplet state hydrogen bonded species and free molecules during the triplet excited state lifetime is suggested.     

Generation and characterization of distonic dehydrophenoxide radical anions under electrospray and atmospheric pressure chemical ionizations

We have explored the possibilities of generating radical anions under electrospray ionization (ESI) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) conditions. By using different sets of ortho-, meta-, and para-isomers of nitrobenzoic acids, methylphenols, and nitrophenols, and m-, and p-isomers of hydroxybenzaldehydes and hydroxyacetophenones as the precursor molecules, we have successfully generated the isomeric distonic dehydrophenoxide radical anions (m/z 92) using the ESI process by applying relatively high capillary voltages, the in-source dissociation (ISD) condition. Under the same conditions, the o-hydroxybenzaldehyde and the o-hydroxyacetophenone yielded the even-electron dehydrophenoxide anion (m/z 93) due to the well-known ortho-effect. The distonic phenoxide radical anions at m/z 92 were also generated under APCI-ISD conditions by using m- and p-isomers of nitrobenzaldehydes and nitroacetophenones. While the o-nitrobenzaldehyde and the o-nitroacetophenone mainly yielded the phenoxide anion at m/z 93, due to the ortho-effect. The collision-induced dissociation (CID) experiments of all the anionic precursor molecules formed from either ESI or APCI produced comparable mass spectra as those observed in the ESI-ISD or the APCI-ISD experiments. The radical anions at m/z 92 reacted with CO₂ and O₂ to form the CO₂ adduct and the oxygen atom abstraction product, respectively, revealing the dual-character of the distonic radical anions, the phenide ion and the phenyl radical. Computational studies support the results of the ion-molecule reactions.     

Electrochemical disk generation and ring identification of carbanions from organomercurials in acetonitrile

A rotating disk-ring electrode was used for study of a series of organomercury compounds R₂Hg, where R = CN, CF(NO₂)₂, C₆F₅, PhCC, p-NO₂C₆H₄OCC, PhSCH₂CC, PhCOCH₂, CH₂CN, CCl₂CCl, 2-phenyl-o-carboranyl. Reduction of these compounds at a Pt-disk in acetonitrile is a two-electron process and results in generation of the carbanion R^?. The carbanions generated at the disk interact with the solvent during their convective diffusion to the ring electrode where there may be oxidized. The main reaction in solution, shown using chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques, is acid-base interaction of carbanions with the solvent acetonitrile, which acts as a Brönsted acid. Reaching the ring, the carbanions may be oxidized at anodic potentials of the ring; oxidation potentials depend significantly on carbanion structure (e.g.+0.28 V (vs. SCE), for PhCC^? and +2.20 V for CN^?. It is shown that PK_a value of the carbanions do not correlate with the oxidation potentials, however, a linear correlation is observed between pK_a values and a special parameter called the efficiency coefficient.     

The effect of substituents in the ring on the reactivity of styrenes in copolymerization

Styrene (M₁) has been copolymerized with o-, m- and p-methyl-styrenes and p-methoxystyrene (M₂) at temperatures between 40 and 110°, using azoisobutyronitrile as initiator; the substituted styrenes were labelled with ¹⁴C in the β-position. The compositions of the copolymers were determined by liquid scintillation counting. Since [M₁] ? [M₂], a simplified form of the copolymer composition equation was used to determine reactivity ratios r₁. Arrhenius parameters of r₁ were found; they show that polar effects predominate when p-methoxystyrene copolymerizes whereas steric effects predominate for o-methylstyrene. Both polar and steric effects are very small for m-methylstyrene; for p-methoxystyrene, the predominance of polar and steric effects varies with the temperature. Values of (E₁₁ ? E₁₂) show good correlation with Hammett substituent constants.     

Anodic oxidation of p-But-calix[4]arene-(OH)2-(OCH2CONEt2)2. Electrogeneration of a calixdiquinone in dichloromethane

The electrochemical oxidation of p-Bu^t-calix[4]arene-(OH)₂-(OCH₂CONEt₂)₂ 1 has been investigated for the first time and was shown to result in the formation of the corresponding diquinone 3. The reaction proceeds via two successive two-electron irreversible oxidation steps both governed by an ECE mechanism. Alkali cations recognition can be realized by exhaustive oxidation of 1 in the presence of alkali salts.     

Solvent effects on electronic absorption spectra of nitrochlorobenzenes,nitrophenols and nitroanilines—I. Studies in nonpolar solvents

Estimation of dipole moments and polarizabilities in various excited states of o-, m- and p-nitrochlorobenzenes, nitrophenols, nitroanilines and the corresponding monosubstituted benzenes was carried out using solvatochromic shifts in electronic absorption spectra making use of equations based on McRae's and Abe's approaches. Comparison of the observed μ_es with those obtained from addition of group moments indicates that, in o- and m-nitrophenols and o- and m-nitroanilines, the electronic transitions have their origin in the donor groups. The excited states of p-nitrophenol and p-nitroaniline appear to have comparable contributions from the excited states of both the donor as well as the acceptor group due to the large extent of resonance interaction.     

A pronounced ortho effect in the polymerization of o-substituted β-nitrostyrenes

It was shown in a previous paper that a number of m - and p-substituted β-nitrostyrenes would readily undergo polymerization via anionic initiation with alkoxide ions to yield high polymers, whereas, in all cases, the corresponding o-substituted isomers could not be induced to produce polymers under any conditions tried. This article reports a systematic study of this unexpected “ortho effect” based on the initial postulate that the effect was the result of steric inhibition of the propagation step that would ordinarily lead to polymer. Since the fluorine atom is only slightly larger than the hydrogen atom, the series o-, m-, and p-fluoro-β-nitrostyrenes was synthesized and its alkoxide ion-initiated polymerization studied. Although it was shown in all cases of o-substituted β-nitrostyrenes studied that initiation was rapid, only in the case of o-fluoro-β-nitrostyrene was a substantial amount of polymer obtained. With up to 3 mole % initiator a maximum of 26% polymer was obtained, whereas polymerization was rapid in cases of the meta and para isomers. The values of the propagation rate constants k_p were found to be 1.1 liters/mole-sec for the para isomer as compared with 4.8 × 10^?2 liter/mole-sec for the ortho isomer for a ratio k_p(p)/k_p(o) = 23, the magnitude of this ortho effect for the fluorine atom.