Anodic oxidation of selenadiazoloquinolones in alkaline media

Newly synthesized derivatives of 6-oxo-6,9-dihydro[1,2,5]selenadiazolo[3,4-h]quinoline variously substituted at position 7 (R = H, COOH, COCH(3), CN, COOC(2)H(5) and COOCH(3)) are established in strongly alkaline aqueous solutions (0.1 M NaOH; pH ∼ 13) as N(9)-deprotonated structures, but in less alkaline solutions (0.001 M NaOH; pH ∼ 11) the N(9)-protonated oxo tautomeric forms dominate. Upon their anodic oxidation in alkaline solutions, the selenadiazole ring is replaced, forming instead the paramagnetic species analogous to the ortho semiquinone radical anions as monitored by in situ EPR spectroscopy. The quantum chemical calculations for two representative selenadiazoloquinolones (R = H and COOH) and their anodic oxidation products presented are in agreement with experiments.

Charge-Induced Reversible Rearrangement of Endohedral Fullerenes: Electrochemistry of Tridysprosium Nitride Clusterfullerenes Dy3N@C2n (2n=78, 80)

The electrochemistry of three new clusterfullerenes Dy3N@C2n (2n=78, 80), namely two isomers of Dy3N@C80 (I and II) as well as Dy3N@C78 (II), have been studied systematically including their redox-reaction mechanism. The cyclic voltammogram of Dy3N@C80 (I) (Ih) exhibits two electrochemically irreversible but chemically reversible reduction steps and one reversible oxidation step. Such a redox pattern is quite different from that of Sc3N@C80 (I), and this can be understood by considering the difference in the charge transfer from the encaged cluster to the cage. A double-square reaction scheme is proposed to explain the observed redox-reaction behavior, which involves the charge-induced reversible rearrangement of the Dy3N@C80 (I) monoanion. The first oxidation potential of Dy3N@C80 (II) (D5h) has a negative shift of 290 mV relative to that of Dy3N@C80 (I) (Ih), indicating that lowering the molecular symmetry of the clusterfullerene cage results in a prominent increase in the electron-donating property. The first and second reduction potentials of Dy3N@C78 (II) are negatively shifted relative to those of Dy3N@C80 (I, II), pointing to the former's lowered electron-accepting ability. The significant difference in the electrochemical energy gaps of Dy3N@C80 (I), Dy3N@C80 (II), and Dy3N@C78 (II) is consistent with the difference in their optical energy gaps.

Scavenging and antioxidant properties of compounds synthesized by carotenogenic yeasts stressed by heavy metals--EPR spin trapping study

Free radical scavenging and antioxidant activities of metabolites produced by carotenogenic yeasts of Rhodotorula sp. and Sporobolomyces sp. grown under heavy metal presence were studied using various EPR experiments. The thermally initiated decomposition of K(2)S(2)O(8) coupled with EPR spin trapping was shown to be the best choice to characterize antioxidant properties of yeast's samples. EPR spectroscopy revealed that yeast walls showed higher ability to scavenge free radicals than those from inside the cells. Since carotenogenic yeast differ to each other in resistance against the heavy metals due to their individual protective system, quenching properties and antioxidant activities of carotenogenic yeasts were modulated by Ni(2+) or Zn(2+) ions variously.