Antioxidant activity assays on-line with liquid chromatography

Screening for antioxidants requires simple in vitro model systems to investigate antioxidant activity. High resolution screening (HRS), combining a separation technique like HPLC with fast post-column (bio)chemical detection can rapidly pinpoint active compounds in complex mixtures. In this paper both electrochemical and chemistry-based assays are reviewed and discussed. The focus is on the mechanisms involved and differences between the assays, rather than on the matrix or analytes. With 45 applications high resolution antioxidant screening has now become an almost routine tool for the rapid identification of antioxidants in plant extracts, foods and beverages. The methods based on true reactive oxygen species (ROS) provide the most realistic measure of antioxidant activity. Unfortunately these methods are difficult to set up and control and have not been applied since they were reported. The methods based on electrochemical detection are more practical, but have still received only limited attention for practical screening purposes. The methods based on a single relatively stable reagent such as DPPH and ABTS(+) have become most popular, because of their simple set-up and ease of control. The methods have been combined with on-line DAD, MS and NMR detection for rapid identification of active constituents.     

Salicylaldehyde based oxazolidines as catalysts for the asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes

A series of oxazolidines have been prepared by condensation of N‐isopropyl norephedrine with a variety of salicylaldehyde derivatives. Despite the stereochemical relationship of (1R,2S)‐norephedrine with (1R,2S)‐ephedrine, the resultant oxazolidines 12‐14 were determined to have a stronger stereochemical relationship with (1S,2S)‐pseudoephedrine based oxazolidines. The resultant oxazolidines were used as catalytic ligands in the addition of diethylzinc to several aldehydes. It was determined that the oxazolidine derivative 12 gave the highest yield and a moderate enantioselectivity.     

Ethyl esters of coumarin-3-phosphonic acid and 1,2-benzoxaphosphorine-3-carboxylic acid: crystal structure,spectroscopic and theoretical elucidation

IR-spectroscopic characterization of the coumarin-3-phosphonic acid and 1,2-benzoxaphosphorine-3-carboxylic acid ethyl esters has been carried out by means of linear-polarized IR (IR-LD) spectroscopy of oriented colloid suspensions in a nematic host. Quantum chemical DFT calculations at the B3LYP level of theory and 6-311++G** basis set were performed. The electronic structure and vibrational properties of both compounds are discussed. The spectroscopic data for 2-benzoxaphosphorine-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester are in accordance with the crystal structure determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The compound C₁₃H₁₅O₅P crystallizes in the noncentrosymmetric space group P2₁2₁2₁, and its structure consists of a 3D network formed by short contacts of the type P=O···HC_(Ar) with distances of 3.420 and 2.467 Å. The geometry of the PO₃C fragment exhibits a pseudo T _d symmetry.     

Crystal structure and spectroscopic properties of ammonium hydrogensquarate squaric acid monohydrate

The structure of ammonium hydrogensquarate squaric acid monohydrate has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c and exhibits a 3D network with molecules linked by intermolecular interactions with participation of the H₂Sq, HSq^?, NH₄ ⁺, and H₂O species. The HSq^? anion and the neutral H₂Sq form a strong head-to-tail dimer through O–H···O hydrogen bonding with lengths of 2.587 and 2.494 Å (protected space between numeral and unit). The layers are connected by ammonium cations and water molecules in a plane through the O···N (2.950, 2.978, 3.036 Å) and O···O (2.953, 2.781 Å) bonds. Another such layer is connected to the NH₄ ⁺ cation in the adjacent plane through bifurcated N–H···O hydrogen-bonding to form a double layer (NH···O bond lengths are 3.036, 2.978, 2.857, 2.909, 2.958, and 2.742 Å, respectively). The IR-band assignment of the compound was achieved using the polarized IR-spectroscopy of oriented colloids in a nematic host. Theoretical ab initio calculations were performed and achieved with a view to explain the IR-bands of the H₂Sq.HSq^? motif.     

Synthesis,spectroscopic analysis and structure deduction of gold(III), palladium(II) and platinum(II) complexes with the tripeptide glycyl-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-phenylalanyl-glycine

The coordination behaviour of the tripeptide glycyl-l-phenylalanyl-glycine (H-Gly-Phe-Gly-OH) with Au(III), Pd(II), and Pt(II) in both solution and in the solid state has been investigated experimentally. In addition, quantum chemical calculations have been carried out with a view to obtain the structures and spectroscopic properties of the ligand and its complexes. Both in solution and in the solid state the tripeptide interacts in a tetradentate manner with the Au(III) and Pd(II) ions through the NH₂, two deprotonated amide N atoms and the COO⁻group, forming [Au(H-Gly-Phe-Gly-OH)H₋₂)] × H₂O and [Pd(H-Gly-l-Phe-Gly-OH)H₋₂)]Na × H₂O complexes. The MN₃O chromophores are calculated to be near planar. Interaction with cisplatin leads to the formation of a mononuclear complex with tridentate coordination of the ligand by NH₂ and two N- atoms from the deprotonated amide groups ([Pt(H-Gly-l-Phe-Gly-OH)H₋₂)NH₃] × 2H₂O). The fourth coordination position of the Pt(II) is occupied by an NH₃ ligand. The PtN₄ chromophore is flat with a deviation from planarity of 0.3°. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

High‐Affinity Proton Donors Promote Proton‐Coupled Electron Transfer by Samarium Diiodide

The relationship between proton‐donor affinity for Sm^II ions and the reduction of two substrates (anthracene and benzyl chloride) was examined. A combination of spectroscopic, thermochemical, and kinetic studies show that only those proton donors that coordinate or chelate strongly to Sm^II promote anthracene reduction through a PCET process. These studies demonstrate that the combination of Sm^II ions and water does not provide a unique reagent system for formal hydrogen atom transfer to substrates.     

Pictet–Spengler Synthesis of Quinoline‐Fused Porphyrins and Phenanthroline‐Fused Diporphyrins

Doubly and quadruply quinoline‐fused porphyrins were effectively synthesized through a reaction sequence consisting of Suzuki–Miyaura coupling of β‐borylated porphyrins with 2‐iodoaniline and subsequent Pictet–Spengler cyclization. These quinoline‐fused porphyrins display red‐shifted absorption bands and higher electron‐accepting abilities. This synthetic protocol also allowed the synthesis of phenanthroline‐fused porphyrin dimers, which bound either a Ni^II or Zn^II cation. The resultant metal complexes displayed further red shifted absorption spectra and molecular twists to effect an almost perpendicular arrangement of the two porphyrins.     

2-amino-4-nitroaniline, a known compound with unexpected properties

2-amino-4-nitroaniline crystallizes in a noncentrosymmetric space group, which gives it significant potential for second-order nonlinear optical properties (NLO) in the bulk. Crystallographic and linear-polarized IR-spectrocopic data in the solid state unambiguously confirm a quinoide-like structure in the ground state in contrast to UV and theoretical data, which indicate an aromatic one for the excited state. UV-vis spectral elucidations in solutions with different polarities indicate a significant charge-transfer band with shifts of up to 100 nm, corresponding to a large value for the molecular first hyperpolarizability. Calculations of the UV- and IR-spectroscopic properties confirm the stabilization of the quinoide-like structure in the ground state, as well as the theoretically predicted NLO properties at the molecular level and provide a value of beta(tot), which is some 3.6 times higher than the analogous parameter for p-nitroaniline, a classical compound with experimentally confirmed NLO properties.     

Spectroscopic and structural elucidation of L-tyrosine-containing dipeptides valyl-tyrosine and tyrosyl-alanine: solid-state IR-LD spectroscopy, quantum chemical calculations and vibrational analysis

L-Tyrosine-containing dipeptides valyl-tyrosine (H-Val-Tyr-OH) and tyrosyl-alanine (H-Tyr-Ala-OH) are characterized structurally by means of quantum chemical ab initio calculations and solid-state linear-dichroic infrared (IR-LD) spectroscopy. The IR-characteristic bands are assigned by application of reducing-difference procedure for polarized IR-spectra interpretation. Infrared data obtained are supported as well by the made vibrational analysis. The structures of both peptides are predicted on the basis of conformational analysis and structural information, obtained by the shown IR-spectroscopic tool.     

The Electrochemistry of Viologens with Various Alkyl Substituents and The Dimerization of Their 1e- Reduced Species in the Absence and Presence of Various Cyclodextrins

We present EQCM study for the electrochemical behavior of various 1-methyl-1'-alkylvilogen (C₁C_nV:n=1, 7-10, 12, 14,16, 18). In some viologens, we discussed the mechanism of CD-induced comproportionation reaction as well as electrodeposition pathway based on the EQCM and the spectroelectrochemical experimental results.