Effect of basic amino acids on photoreaction of ketoprofen in phosphate buffer solution

Photoreaction of ketoprofen (KP), one of the widely used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), was studied with transient absorption spectroscopy in phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.4) in the presence of basic amino acids of histidine (His), lysine (Lys) and arginine (Arg). Deprotonated form of KP (KP(-)) excited with UV-light irradiation gave rise to carbanion through a decarboxylation reaction. It was found that carbanion abstracted a proton from the side chain of the protonated amino acids to yield 3-ethylbenzophenone ketyl biradical (EBPH); however, no reaction was observed with alanine. The relative yield of EBPH by the proton transfer reaction with His was ca. 40 times larger than that of the other two basic amino acids, suggesting that the proton-donating ability of His (protonated His) should be quite high. The information on the photoreaction mechanism of NSAIDs with basic amino acids was essential to understand primary reaction of excited NSAIDs in vivo causing photosensitization on human skin.     

A laser flash photolysis study of amino acids and dipeptides using 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide as a photosensitizer: The pH dependence

The pH effects on the photochemical reaction of amino acids and related dipeptides with 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO) as a photosensitizer have been investigated by laser flash photolysis. The obtained kinetic parameters show that the electron transfer from Tryptophan (Trp), Tyrosine (Tyr) as well as dipeptides containing Trp and/or Tyr residue to triplet 4NQO (^T4NQO) are efficient, but inefficient from methionine (Met) and dipeptides containing neither Trp nor Tyr. The result was supported by the calculated values of the free energy change from measured oxidation potentials for the electron transfer. It was demonstrated that Trp and Tyr residues are initial reaction sites with ^T4NQO, while Tyr/O^? radical may be final species for Trp-Tyr dipeptide. In acidic aqueous solutions, the self-quenching rate constants of ^T4NQO and the rate constants of electron transfer from amino acids to ^T4NQO decrease with decreasing pH. In alkaline solutions, amino acids are easily oxidized by 4NQO under irradiation of laser pulse, and no transient absorption signal was observed.     

Simultaneous and Direct Determination of Tryptophan and Tyrosine at Boron‐Doped Diamond Electrode

A facile method for the simultaneous measurement of tryptophan (Trp) and tyrosine (Tyr) was firstly exploited at unmodified boron‐doped diamond (BDD) electrode. The experimental results indicated that by using differential pulse voltammetry, the oxidative peaks of these two kinds of amino acids could be completely separated at BDD electrode. The peak separation of Trp and Tyr was developed to be 0.64 V when Na₂PO₄/NaOH buffer solution with the optimized pH 11.2 was employed. The detection limit of Trp was obtained to be 1×10^?5 M, while that of Tyr was achieved to be 1×10^?6 M. The present method was also evidenced to be available to the determination of real samples of amino acids.     

The elimination kinetics and mechanisms of ethyl piperidine‐3‐carboxylate,ethyl 1‐methylpiperidine‐3‐carboxylate,and ethyl 3‐(piperidin‐1‐yl)propionate in the gas phase

The gas‐phase elimination kinetics of the above‐mentioned compounds were determined in a static reaction system over the temperature range of 369–450.3°C and pressure range of 29–103.5 Torr. The reactions are homogeneous, unimolecular, and obey a first‐order rate law. The rate coefficients are given by the following Arrhenius expressions: ethyl 3‐(piperidin‐1‐yl) propionate, log k₁(s^?1) = (12.79 ± 0.16) ? (199.7 ± 2.0) kJ mol^?1 (2.303 RT)^?1; ethyl 1‐methylpiperidine‐3‐carboxylate, log k₁(s^?1) = (13.07 ± 0.12)–(212.8 ± 1.6) kJ mol^?1 (2.303 RT)^?1; ethyl piperidine‐3‐carboxylate, log k₁(s^?1) = (13.12 ± 0.13) ? (210.4 ± 1.7) kJ mol^?1 (2.303 RT)^?1; and 3‐piperidine carboxylic acid, log k₁(s^?1) = (14.24 ± 0.17) ? (234.4 ± 2.2) kJ mol^?1 (2.303 RT)^?1. The first step of decomposition of these esters is the formation of the corresponding carboxylic acids and ethylene through a concerted six‐membered cyclic transition state type of mechanism. The intermediate β‐amino acids decarboxylate as the α‐amino acids but in terms of a semipolar six‐membered cyclic transition state mechanism. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 38: 106–114, 2006     

Electrochemistry and voltammetric determination of L-tryptophan and L-tyrosine using a glassy carbon electrode modified with a Nafion/TiO2-graphene composite film

We describe a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with a film composed of Nafion and TiO₂-graphene (TiO₂-GR) nanocomposite, and its voltammetric response to the amino acids L-tryptophane (Trp) and L-tyrosine (Tyr). The incorporation of TiO₂ nanoparticles with graphene significantly improves the electrocatalytic activity and voltammetric response compared to electrodes modified with Nafion/graphene only. The Nafion/TiO₂-GR modified electrode was used to determine Trp and Tyr with detection limits of 0.7 and 2.3 μM, and a sensitivity of 75.9 and 22.8 μA mM^?1 for Trp and Tyr, respectively.

The proton exchange reaction between indene and the indenyl anion

The proton exchange reaction between the indenyl carbanion and its parent compound indene has been studied by NMR as a function of temperature. The rate of this bimolecular reaction is very low and has been found to be strongly dependent on the polarity of the solvent. In solvents like dimethoxyethane (? = 7·2) and diglyme the reaction becomes manifest in the NMR spectrum only at elevated temperatures (T > 150°C). In hexamethylphosphortriamide (? = 30) the rate is much greater and line broadening may be observable at room temperature. The reaction in this solvent is characterised by a frequency factor f = 7 × 10⁷ 1 mol^?1 s^?1, an activation enthalpy ΔH ≠ = 9·5 kcal mol^?1 and an entropy of activation ΔS≠ = ?23 e.u. The low reaction rate and its solvent dependence are briefly discussed.     

The long-lived triplet excited state of an elongated ketoprofen derivative and its interactions with amino acids and nucleosides

The aim of the present work was to find a ketoprofen (KP) equivalent suitable for time-resolved studies on the interactions of its KP-like triplet state with biomolecules or their simple building blocks, under physiologically relevant conditions. Such a compound should fulfill the following requirements: (i) it should be soluble in aqueous media; (ii) its triplet lifetime should be longer than that of KP, ideally in the microsecond range; and (iii) its photodecarboxylation should be slow enough to avoid interference in the time-resolved studies associated with formation of photoproducts. Here, the glycine derivative of ketoprofen (KPGly) has been found to fulfill all the above requirements. In a first stage, the attention has been focused on the photophysical and photochemical properties of KPGly, and then on its excited-state interactions with key amino acids and nucleosides. In acetonitrile, the typical benzophenone-like triplet-triplet absorption (3KPGly) with lambda(max) at 520 nm and a lifetime of 5.3 micros was observed. This value is very close to that of 3KP (5.6 micros) obtained under the same conditions. In methanol, the 3KPGly features were also close to those of 3KP with detection of a short-lived triplet state that evolves to give a ketyl radical. By contrast with the behavior of KP, in deaerated aqueous solutions at pH = 7.4, the transient detected in the case of KPGly displayed two bands at lambda(max) at 330 and 520 nm, very similar to those observed in acetonitrile solution but with a lifetime of 7.5 micros at 520 nm. Hence, it was assigned to the KPGly triplet. In the case of KP, efficient decarboxylation occurs in the subnanosecond time scale, via intramolecular electron transfer. This process gives rise to a detectable carbanion intermediate (lifetime approximately 250 ns) and prevents detection of the shorter-lived 3KP signal. In a second stage, the attention has been focused on the excited-state interactions between 3KPGly and amino acids or nucleosides; for this purpose, 2'-deoxyguanosine (dGuo), thymidine (Thd), tryptophan (Trp), and tyrosine (Tyr) have been chosen as photosensitization targets. In general, efficient quenching (rate constant kq > 109 M(-1) x s(-1)) was observed; it was attributed for dGuo, Tyr, and Trp to a photochemical reaction involving initial electron transfer from the biological target to 3KPGly, followed by proton transfer from the amino acid or the nucleoside radical cation to KPGly-*. As a matter of fact, ketyl radical together with guanosinyl, tyrosinyl, or tryptophanyl radicals were detected; this supports the proposed mechanism. The results with Thd were somewhat different, as the efficient 3KPGly quenching was ascribed to oxetane formation by a Paterno Büchi photocycloaddition.     

Reaction of Amino Acids,Di‐ and Tripeptides with the Environmental Oxidant NO3.: A Laser Flash Photolysis and Computational Study

Absolute rate coefficients for the reaction between the important environmental free radical oxidant NO₃^. and a series of N‐ and C‐protected amino acids, di‐ and tripeptides were determined using 355 nm laser flash photolysis of cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate in the presence of the respective substrates in acetonitrile at 298±1 K. Through combination with computational studies it was revealed that the reaction with acyclic aliphatic amino acids proceeds through hydrogen abstraction from the α‐carbon, which is associated with a rate coefficient of about 1.8×10⁶ m ^?1 s^?1 per abstractable hydrogen atom. The considerably faster reaction with phenylalanine [k=(1.1±0.1)×10⁷ m ^?1 s^?1] is indicative for a mechanism involving electron transfer. An unprecedented amplification of the rate coefficient by a factor of 7–20 was found with di‐ and tripeptides that contain more than one phenylalanine residue. This suggests a synergistic effect between two aromatic rings in close vicinity, which makes such peptide sequences highly vulnerable to oxidative damage by this major environmental pollutant.     

The mechanism of neutral amino acid decomposition in the gas phase. The elimination kinetics of N,N‐dimethylglycine ethyl ester,ethyl 1‐piperidineacetate,and N,N‐dimethylglycine

The gas‐phase elimination kinetics of the ethyl ester of two α‐amino acid type of molecules have been determined over the temperature range of 360–430°C and pressure range of 26–86 Torr. The reactions, in a static reaction system, are homogeneous and unimolecular and obey a first‐order rate law. The rate coefficients are given by the following equations. For N,N‐dimethylglycine ethyl ester: log k₁(s^?1) = (13.01 ± 3.70) ? (202.3 ± 0.3)kJ mol^?1 (2.303 RT)^?1 For ethyl 1‐piperidineacetate: log k₁(s^?1) = (12.91 ± 0.31) ? (204.4 ± 0.1)kJ mol^?1 (2.303 RT)^?1 The decompositon of these esters leads to the formation of the corresponding α‐amino acid type of compound and ethylene. However, the amino acid intermediate, under the condition of the experiments, undergoes an extremely rapid decarboxylation process. Attempts to pyrolyze pure N,N‐dimethylglycine, which is the intermediate of dimethylglycine ethyl ester pyrolysis, was possible at only two temperatures, 300 and 310°C. The products are trimethylamine and CO₂. Assuming log A = 13.0 for a five‐centered cyclic transition‐state type of mechanism in gas‐phase reactions, it gives the following expression: log k₁(s^?1) = (13.0) ? (176.6)kJ mol^?1 (2.303 RT)^?1. The mechanism of these α‐amino acids differs from the decarbonylation elimination of 2‐substituted halo, hydroxy, alkoxy, phenoxy, and acetoxy carboxylic acids in the gas phase. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 33:465–471, 2001     

Synthesis of Soluble Poly(Divinylbenzene) Through Anionic Polymerizatio

Lithium diisopropylamide (LDA), in the presence of diisopropylamine (DPA), initiates the polymerization of 1,4-, or 1,3-divinylbenzene (DVB) to form a soluble poly(divinylbenzene). Initiation was confirmed to take place by addition of an alkylamino group to the DVB molecule. The population of the triad tacticity of the soluble poly(DVB) suggests the steric course of the polymerization reaction to proceed according to Bernoullian statistics with respect to the diad placements, m and r. The chain-transfer reaction was found to take place through proton transfer from DPA to the growing chain end. A kinetic study of the reaction between lithium alkylamide and poly(DVB) was carried out for comparison with some other styrene derivatives. The second-order rate constant (k) of the reaction between lithium diethylamide and the vinyl group of poly(DVB) was 1.19 × 10^?3 L·mol^?1 ·s^?1, which is only about one-fiftieth of that for 1,4-DVB. LDA was found to metalate the methyl group of 4-methylstyrene to form 4-vinylbenzyllithium without any side reaction. This carbanion has the structure of 10π-conjugation and is stable in the reaction system for more than 30 min. The vinylbenzyl anion is regarded as a model for the growing end of poly(DVB). On the basis of these results, the reason for formation of soluble poly(DVB) in the LDA-induced DVB polymerization is summarized as follows: (i) Relatively short life time of the growing carbanion owing to chain transfer by DPA; (ii) lower reactivity of the pendent vinyl groups of the soluble poly(DVB) compared with those of DVB monomer; and (iii) lowered reactivity of the growing carbanion, which has a stabilized 10π-conjugation.     

Visible‐Light‐Responsive Reversible Photoacid Based on a Metastable Carbanion

A new photoacid that reversibly changes from a weak to a strong acid under visible light was designed and synthesized. Irradiation generated a metastable state with high C?H acidity due to high stability of a trifluoromethyl‐phenyl‐tricyano‐furan (CF₃PhTCF) carbanion. This long‐lived metastable state allows a large proton concentration to be reversibly produced with moderate light intensity. Reversible pH change of about one unit was demonstrated by using a 0.1 mM solution of the photoacid in 95 % ethanol. The quantum yield was calculated to be as high as 0.24. Kinetics of the reverse process can be fitted well to a second‐order‐rate equation with k=9.78×10² M ^?1 s^?1. Response to visible light, high quantum yield, good reversibility, large photoinduced proton concentration under moderate light intensity, and good compatibility with organic media make this photoacid a promising material for macroscopic control of proton‐transfer processes in organic systems.     

A kinetic study of the reduction of toluidine blue with thiourea in acidic solution

A detailed kinetic study of the reaction of toluidine blue (tolonium chloride) (TB⁺ Cl^?) with thiourea (TU) in aqueous hydrochloric acid solution is reported. The reaction was first order with respect to toluidine blue and the reductant and second order with respect to [H⁺]. Thiourea had a 2:1 stoichiometric ratio with TB⁺. Toluidine blue was reduced to a colorless base in two one-electron reduction steps and TU was oxidized to thioformamidinium ion, which dimerized rapidly to give stable dithioformamidinium ion. The energy parameters obtained for TB⁺-TU reaction were mean energy of activation (Ea′) = 26.7 ± 2.4 kJ M^?1; enthalpy of activation (ΔH^#) = 24.2 kJ M^?1; frequency factor (A) = 1.04 × 10⁴ M^?3 s^?1; and entropy of activation (ΔS^#) = ?176.35 J M^?1 s^?1. © John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Solvent effects on the activation parameters of the reaction between an α‐tocopherol analogue and dpph•: The role of H‐bonded complexes

The analysis of the activation parameters for the formal H‐atom transfer reaction between 2,2,5,7,8‐pentamethyl‐6‐chromanol (ChrOH) and 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (dpph^?) reveals that these parameters are effective probes of the actual reaction mechanism. Indeed, the A factors measured in various polar and apolar solvents are localized in three distinct domains according to whether the reaction occurs via outer‐sphere electron transfer (ET) from the anion ChrO^? or hydrogen atom transfer (HAT). For instance, A = 5.9 × 10⁵ M^?1 s^?1 and E_a = 2.5 kcal mol^?1 in cyclohexane where the reaction proceeds by HAT, whereas in methanol, ethanol, and their mixtures with water where there is a substantial ET contribution A > 10⁹ M^?1s^?1 and E_a > 7 kcal mol^?1. Interestingly, in nonhydroxylic polar solvents, A～ 10⁷ M^?1s^?1 and the E_a values reflect the H‐bond accepting ability of the solvent in agreement with the “standard” kinetic solvent effects on HAT reactions. Addition of small quantities of pyridine accelerates the reaction rates in these solvents. This suggests that the H‐bonded complex (ChrOH···Py) is able to react via intermolecular ET with dpph^?. It is known, in fact, that pyridine lowers the oxidation potential of phenols by ～0.5 V and the ΔG_ET of ChrOH + dpph^? consequently decreases by about 10 kcal mol^?1. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 44: 524–531, 2012     

Rose Bengal‐Sensitized Photooxidation of the Dipeptides l‐Tryptophyl‐l‐Phenylalanine,l‐Tryptophyl‐l‐Tyrosine and l‐Tryptophyl‐l‐Tryptophan: Kinetics,Mechanism and Photoproducts¶

The Rose Bengal‐sensitized photooxidations of the dipeptides l ‐tryptophyl‐l ‐phenylalanine (Trp‐Phe), l ‐tryptophyl‐l ‐tyrosine (Trp‐Tyr) and l ‐tryptophyl‐l ‐tryptophan (Trp‐Trp) have been studied in pH 7 water solution using static photolysis and time‐resolved methods. Kinetic results indicate that the tryptophan (Trp) moiety interacts with singlet molecular oxygen (O₂(¹Δ_g)) both through chemical reaction and through physical quenching, and that the photooxidations can be compared with those of equimolecular mixtures of the corresponding free amino acids, with minimum, if any, influence of the peptide bond on the chemical reaction. This is not a common behavior in other di‐ and polypeptides of photooxidizable amino acids. The ratio between chemical (k_r) and overall (k_t) rate constants for the interaction O₂(¹Δ_g)‐dipeptide indicates that Trp‐Phe and Trp‐Trp are good candidates to suffer photodynamic action, with k_rlk_t values of 0.72 and 0.60, respectively (0.65 for free Trp). In the case of Trp‐Tyr, a lower k_rlk_t value (0.18) has been found, likely as a result of the high component of physical deactivation of O₂(¹Δ_g) by the tyrosine moiety. The analysis of the photooxidation products shows that the main target for O₂(¹Δ_g) attack is the Trp group and suggests a much lower accumulation of kynurenine‐type products, as compared with free Trp. This is possibly because of the occurrence of another accepted alternative pathway of oxidation that gives rise to 3a‐oxidized hydrogenated pyrrolo[2,3‐b]indoles.     

Rates of Proton Abstraction from Conjugated Dienes in the Gas Phase

The rates of proton transfer from 2, 4-hexadiene, 1, 3-cycloheptadiene, cyclopentadiene and acetone to t-butoxide have been measured in the gas phase using pulsed-ion-cyclotron-resonance spectroscopy. The rate constants are (units of 10^?10 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1): 2.7 ± 0.4, 3.8 ± 0.4, 6.1 ± 0.7 and 10.8 ± 1.5, respectively. These results are analyzed in terms of the properties of the encounter complex and reaction transition states. The reaction profile for t-butoxide + cyclopentadiene is modeled using RRKM theory and an estimate for the central barrier height is obtained.     

Kinetics and simulations of reaction between safranine‐O and acidic bromate and role of bromide therein

Safranine‐O, a dye of the phenazinium class, was found to exhibit intricate kinetics during its reaction with bromate at low pH conditions. Under conditions of excess concentrations of acid and bromate, safranine‐O (SA⁺) initially depleted very slowly (k = (3.9 ± 0.3) × 10^?4 M^?3 s^?1) but after an induction time, the reaction occurred swiftly. Bromide exhibited a dual role in the reaction mechanism, both as an autocatalyst and as an inhibitor. The added bromide increased the initial rate of depletion of SA⁺, but delayed the transition to rapid reaction. The overall stiochiometric reaction was found to be 6SA⁺ + 4 BrO₃ ^? = 6SP + 3N₂O + 3H₂O + 6H⁺ + 4Br^?, where SP is 3‐amino‐7‐oxo‐2,8‐dimethyl‐5‐phenylphenazine. The fast kinetics of the reaction between aqueous bromine and safranine‐O (k = (2.2 ± 0.1) × 10³ M^?1 s^?1) are also reported in this paper A 17‐step mechanism, consistent with the overall reaction dynamics and supported by simulations, is proposed and the role of various bromo and oxybromo species is also discussed. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 34: 542–549, 2002     

Studies in nickel(IV) chemistry. Electron transfer kinetics of the reaction between tris(dimethylglyoximato)nickelate(IV) and hexacyanoferrate(II) in aqueous medium

The kinetics of electron transfer from hexacyanoferrate(II) to tris(dimethylglyoximato)-nickelate(IV), Ni(dmg)₃^2?, to produce Fe(CN)₆^3? and Ni(dmgH)₂, follows a pseudo-first-order disappearance in the Ni(IV). The pseudo-first-order rate constants k_obs are linearly dependent on [Fe(CN)₆^4?]₀ in a fiftyfold range of 2 × 10^?4?1 × 10^?2M, and the average values of k_obs/[Fe(CN)₆^4?]₀ range from 194M^?1·s^?1 at pH = 5.20 to 0.2M^?1·s^?1 at pH = 9.07 in aqueous medium at 35°C and μ = 0.57M. Results are interpreted in terms of a probable mechanism involving rate-determining outer sphere one-electron transfer steps from the reductant and one-protonated reductant species to the unprotonated and one-protonated Ni(IV) species present in solution. The more electrophilic one-protonated reductant species apparently reacts several orders of magnitude faster than the unprotonated one.     

Kinetics and mechanism of oxidation of glycine,alanine, and threonine by fluoride coordinated bismuth(V) in aqueous HClO4–HF medium

The kinetics of oxidation of amino acids viz. glycine, alanine, and threonine with bismuth(V) in HClO₄–HF medium have been studied. The kinetics of the oxidation of all these amino acids exhibit similar rate laws. The second-order rate constants were calculated to be 2.04 × 10^?2 dm³ mol^?1 and 2.72 × 10^?2 dm³ mol^?1 s^?1 for glycine and alanine, respectively, at 35°C and 5.9 × 10^?2 dm³ mol^?1 s^?1 for threonine at 25°C. All the possible reactive species of both bismuth(V) and amino acids have been discussed and a most probable kinetic model in each reaction has been envisaged. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Inorganic reactions of iodine(III) in acidic solutions and free energy of iodous acid formation

An analysis of the former works devoted to the reactions of I(III) in acidic nonbuffered solutions gives new thermodynamic and kinetic information. At low iodide concentrations, the rate law of the reaction IO + I^? + 2H⁺ ? IO₂H + IOH is k_+B [IO][I^?][H⁺]² – k_?B [IO₂H][IOH] with k_+B = 4.5 × 10³ M^?3s^?1 and k_?B = 240 M^?1s^?1 at 25°C and zero ionic strength. The rate law of the reaction IO₂H + I^? + H⁺ ? 2IOH is k_+C [IO₂H][I^?][H⁺] – k_?C [IOH]² with k_+C = 1.9 × 10¹⁰ M^?2s^?1 and k_?C = 25 M^?1s^?1. These values lead to a Gibbs free energy of IO₂H formation of ?95 kJ mol^?1. The pK_a of iodous acid should be about 6, leading to a Gibbs free energy of IO formation of about ?61 kJ mol^?1. Estimations of the four rate constants at 50°C give, respectively, 1.2 × 10⁴ M^?3s^?1, 590 M^?1s^?1, 2 × 10⁹ M^?2s^?1, and 20 M^?1 s^?1. Mechanisms of these reactions involving the protonation IO₂H + H⁺ ? IO₂H and an explanation of the decrease of the last two rate constants when the temperature increases, are proposed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 40: 647–652, 2008     

Absolute rate constants for the addition of hydroxymethyl radicals to alkenes in methanol solution

Absolute rate constants and their temperature dependencies were determined for the addition of hydroxymethyl radicals (CH₂OH) to 20 mono- or 1,1-disubstituted alkenes (CH₂ = CXY) in methanol by time-resolved electron spin resonance spectroscopy. With the alkene substituents the rate constants at 298 K (k₂₉₈) vary from 180 M^?1s^?1 (ethyl vinylether) to 2.1 middot; 10⁶ M^?1s^?1 (acrolein). The frequency factors obey log A/M^?1s^?1 = 8.1 ± 0.1, whereas the activation energies (E_a) range from 11.6 kJ/mol (methacrylonitrile) to 35.7 kJ/mol (ethyl vinylether). As shown by good correlations with the alkene electron affinities (EA), log k₂₉₈/M^?1s^?1 = 5.57 + 1.53 · EA/eV (R² = 0.820) and E_a = 15.86 ? 7.38 · EA/eV (R² = 0.773), hydroxymethyl is a nucleophilic radical, and its addition rates are strongly influenced by polar effects. No apparent correlation was found between E_a or log k₂₉₈ with the overall reaction enthalpy. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.