On the direct scavenging activity of melatonin towards hydroxyl and a series of peroxyl radicals

The reactions of melatonin (MLT) with hydroxyl and several peroxyl radicals have been studied using the Density Functional Theory, specifically the M05-2X functional. Five mechanisms of reaction have been considered: radical adduct formation (RAF), Hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), single electron transfer (SET), sequential electron proton transfer (SEPT) and proton coupled electron transfer (PCET). It has been found that MLT reacts with OH radicals in a diffusion-limited way, regardless of the polarity of the environment, which indicates that MLT is an excellent OH radical scavenger. The calculated values of the overall rate coefficient of MLT + ˙OH reaction in benzene and water solutions are 2.23 × 10(10) and 1.85 × 10(10) M(-1) s(-1), respectively. MLT is also predicted to be a very good ˙OOCCl(3) scavenger but rather ineffective for scavenging less reactive peroxyl radicals, such as alkenyl peroxyl radicals and ˙OOH. Therefore it is concluded that the protective effect of MLT against lipid peroxidation does not take place by directly trapping peroxyl radicals, but rather by scavenging more reactive species, such as ˙OH, which can initiate the degradation process. Branching ratios for the different channels of reaction are reported for the first time. In aqueous solutions SEPT was found to be the main mechanism for the MLT + ˙OH reaction, accounting for about 44.1% of the overall reactivity of MLT towards this radical. The good agreement between the calculated and the available experimental data, on the studied processes, supports the reliability of the results presented in this work.     

Electrochemical and STM studies of 1-thio-β-D-glucose self-assembled on a Au(111) electrode surface

In this study, a Au(111) electrode is functionalized with a monolayer of 1-thio-β-D-glucose (β-Tg), producing a hydrophilic surface. A monolayer of β-Tg was formed on a Au(111) surface by either (1) potential-assisted deposition with the thiol in a supporting electrolyte or (2) passive incubation of a gold substrate in a thiol-containing solution. For each method, the properties of the β-Tg monolayer were investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential capacitance (DC), and chronocoulometry. In addition, electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (EC-STM) was used to obtain images of the self-assembled monolayer with molecular resolution. Potential-assisted assembly of β-Tg onto a Au(111) electrode surface was found to be complicated by oxidation of β-Tg molecules. The EC-STM images revealed formation of a passive layer containing honeycomb-like domains characteristic of a formation of S(8) rings, indicating the S-C bond may have been cleaved. In contrast, passive self-assembly of thioglucose from a methanol solution was found to produce a stable, disordered monolayer of β-Tg. Since the passive assembly method was not complicated by the presence of a faradaic process, it is the method of choice for modifying the gold surface with a hydrophilic monolayer.     

A New Definition of the Term “High-Phenolic Olive Oil” Based on Large Scale Statistical Data of Greek Olive Oils Analyzed by qNMR

In the last few years, a new term, “High-phenolic olive oil”, has appeared in scientific literature and in the market. However, there is no available definition of that term regarding the concentration limits of the phenolic ingredients of olive oil. For this purpose, we performed a large-scale screening and statistical evaluation of 5764 olive oil samples from Greece coming from >30 varieties for an eleven-year period with precisely measured phenolic content by qNMR. Although there is a large variation among the different cultivars, the mean concentration of total phenolic content was 483 mg/kg. The maximum concentration recorded in Greece reached 4003 mg/kg. We also observed a statistically significant correlation of the phenolic content with the harvest period and we also identified varieties affording olive oils with higher phenolic content. In addition, we performed a study of phenolic content loss during usual storage and we found an average loss of 46% in 12 months. We propose that the term high-phenolic should be used for olive oils with phenolic content > 500 mg/kg that will be able to retain the health claim limit (250 mg/kg) for at least 12 months after bottling. The term exceptionally high phenolic olive oil should be used for olive oil with phenolic content > 1200 mg/kg (top 5%).     

Computational strategies for predicting free radical scavengers' protection against oxidative stress: Where are we and what might follow?

Oxidative stress, which is frequently induced by an overproduction of free radicals (FR), poses a high risk to human health. Thus, finding efficient strategies for scavenging FR is a research area of current interest. Among many other aspects, this involves identifying chemical compounds capable of offering antioxidant protection (AOP) and quantifying such protection. This review summarizes different computational approaches that can contribute to gain a deeper knowledge on this subject. Several reaction mechanisms that may contribute to AOP are discussed, as well as some key factors influencing their relative importance including the chemical nature of the reacting FR, the polarity of the environment and the pH in aqueous solution. Kinetics-based analyses to characterize antioxidants, through their FR scavenging activity, are presented. Trends in such activity, from the data currently available in the literature are provided. Some key aspects, regarding AOP, that still deserves further investigation, are discussed.     

A new approach to counterpoise correction to BSSE

In the present work the intermolecular BSSE, associated to the A-B interaction, is obtained by subtracting the intramolecular BSSE of the fragments from the intramolecular BSSE of the supermolecule, and considering every atom as a fragment in the calculation of each intramolecular BSSE. This atom by atom scheme (CP(aa)) is based on the consideration that the proximity of the fragments may affect the intramolecular BSSE of every involved species, and artificially influences the value of the BSSE associated to the supermolecule formation. It drastically decreases the reported counterpoise overcorrection of the A-B interaction, even though it does not deal with all the overcorrection because it includes all the orbitals, and not only the unoccupied ones. This new approach has been tested on the water dimer, some hydrogen fluoride weakly bonded complexes, the conformational analysis of 1,2-dichloroethane, and the reaction profile of formaldehyde + OH reaction.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the beta-alanine + OH gas phase reaction: a quantum mechanical approach

The OH hydrogen abstraction reaction from beta-alanine has been studied using the BHandHLYP hybrid HF-density functional and 6-311G(d,p) basis sets. The energies have been improved by single point calculations at the CCSD(T)/6-311G(d,p) level of theory. The structures of the different stationary points are discussed. Reaction profiles are modeled including the formation of pre-reactive and product complexes. Negative net activation energy is obtained for the overall reaction. A complex mechanism is proposed, and the rate coefficients are calculated using transition state theory over the temperature range of 250-400 K. The rate coefficients are proposed for the first time and it was found that in the gas phase the hydrogen abstraction occurs mainly from the CH(2) group next to the amino end. The following expressions, in cm(3) mol(-1) s(-1), are obtained for the overall rate constants, at 250-400 and 290-310 K, respectively: k(250-400)= 2.36 x 10(-12) exp(340/T), and k(290-310)= 1.296 x 10(-12) exp(743/T). The three parameter expression that best describes the studied reaction is k(250-400)= 1.01 x 10(-21)T(3.09) exp(1374/T). The beta-alanine + OH reaction was found to be 1.5 times faster than the alpha-alanine + OH reaction.     

Combined experimental–theoretical investigation on the interactions of Diuron with a urea–formaldehyde matrix: implications for its use as an “intelligent pesticide”

The production of controlled release systems for Diuron aims to reduce some disadvantages of its conventional application and to diminish the associated environmental pollution. In this work, a matrix of urea–formaldehyde containing micro-encapsulated Diuron (Diuron–UF) is proposed to that purpose. The results of the morphology and distribution of particles sizes are expected to promote permeability allowing a water flux and the release of the pesticide. The possible interactions between the UF matrix and Diuron were investigated using experimental and theoretical techniques. The obtained results strongly suggest that the Diuron–UF interactions are weak enough to assure easy release. The shifts in the IR bands are modest, which is in line with the proposal that the interactions arise from H bonding and do not involve the formation of chemical bonds. The in vitro assays showed that the investigated material releases small amounts of the active component for extended periods of time. This behavior is expected to allow a large assimilation of the pesticide by plants, at the same time that it would prevent—or at least reduce—the environmental pollution caused by the Diuron degradation products. The gathered data combined indicate that Diuron–UF materials can be used as “intelligent pesticides”.     

On the mechanism of the OH initiated oxidation of acetylene in the presence of O2 and NO x

The mechanism of the oxidation of acetylene, in the presence of O₂ and NO _x , has been studied. Different levels of theory have been tested for the first step of the mechanism: the acetylene + OH radical reaction. Based on these results the meta-hybrid functional MPWB1K has been chosen for modeling all the other steps involved in the oxidation of acetylene. Different reaction paths have been considered and the one leading to glyoxal formation and OH regeneration is predicted to be the main channel, independently of the presence of NO _x . Two different mechanisms were modeled to account for formic acid formation, both of them involving cyclic intermediates. According to the computed activation free energies, the three-membered intermediate seems to be more likely to occur than the four-membered one. However, reaction barriers are very high and only a very small proportion of formic acid is expected to be formed through such intermediates. In the presence of NO _x , considered in this work for the first time, the main product of the tropospheric oxidation of acetylene is also expected to be glyoxal.     

Influence of silicon defects on the adsorption of thiophene-like compounds on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: a theoretical study using thiophene + coronene as the simplest model

Physisorption and chemisorption processes of thiophene on coronene and 2Si-coronene have been studied using density functional theory and MP2 methods. These systems have been chosen as the simplest models to describe the adsorption of thiophene-like compounds on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The calculated data suggest that the presence of silicon atoms in PAHs could favor their interaction with thiophene and similar compounds. Small stabilization energies have been found for several physisorbed complexes. The thiophene chemisorption on coronene seems very unlikely to occur, while that on 2Si-coronene leads to addition products which are very stable, with respect to the isolated reactants. These chemisorption processes were found to be exoergic (DeltaG < 0) in the gas phase and in the nonpolar liquid phase. The results reported in this work suggest that silicon defects on extended polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, such as graphite, soot, and large-diameter carbon nanotubes, could make them useful in the removal processes of aromatic sulfur compounds from oil hydrocarbons.     

On the mechanism of gas-phase reaction of C1-C3 aliphatic thiols + OH radicals

A theoretical study on the mechanism of the OH + aliphatic thiols reactions is presented. Optimum geometries and frequencies have been computed at the BHandHLYP/6-311++G(2d,2p) level of theory for all stationary points. Energy values have been improved by single-point calculations at the above geometries using CCSD(T)/6-311++G(d,p). Twelve possible channels have been modeled, three of them including the possible influence of molecular oxygen, and three of them involving excess of OH. The only channels that have been found to significantly contribute to the overall reaction in the troposphere are the hydrogen abstractions from the -SH group and from the alkyl groups. Our analysis supports a stepwise mechanism involving the formation of a short-lived, weakly bonded adduct in the entrance channel, for the abstraction paths. The results proposed in the present work seem to provide a viable explanation for diverse findings previously reported from experimental investigations.