Radical Cations in the OH-Radical-Induced Oxidation of Thiourea and Tetramethylthiourea in Aqueous Solution

A sensitive and selective sensor for biothiols based on the turn-on fluorescence of the Fe-MIL-88 metal–organic frameworks–hydrogen peroxide system

A novel and simple spectrofluorometry method for the recognition of biothiols using metal–organic frameworks Fe-MIL-88 and H₂O₂ is developed.

A metal (Co)–organic framework-based chemiluminescence system for selective detection of l-cysteine

A metal (Co)–Organic Framework–luminol chemiluminescence system was successfully established for the determination of l-cysteine.

Seeing diabetes: visual detection of glucose based on the intrinsic peroxidase-like activity of MoS2 nanosheets

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has attracted increasing research interest recently due to its unique physical, optical and electrical properties, correlated with its 2D ultrathin atomic-layered structure. Until now, however, great efforts have focused on its applications such as lithium ion batteries, transistors, and hydrogen evolution reactions. Herein, for the first time, MoS2 nanosheets are discovered to possess an intrinsic peroxidase-like activity and can catalytically oxidize 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) by H2O2 to produce a color reaction. The catalytic activity follows the typical Michaelis-Menten kinetics and is dependent on temperature, pH, H2O2 concentration, and reaction time. Based on this finding, a highly sensitive and selective colorimetric method for H2O2 and glucose detection is developed and applied to detect glucose in serum samples. Moreover, a simple, inexpensive, instrument-free and portable test kit for the visual detection of glucose in normal and diabetic serum samples is constructed by utilizing agarose hydrogel as a visual detection platform.

Interaction of a hydrated electron with anthracenethiosemicarbazone: a pulse radiolysis study

The thiosemicarbazide derivative of anthracene, ATSC, has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV-visible, (1)H NMR, fluorescence, and mass spectroscopy experiments. The interaction of hydrated electron (e(-)aq) with ATSC proceeds via radical anion formation followed by intramolecular transfer that cleaves the thiosemicarbazide side chain on the anthracene moiety. HPLC and ESI-MS experiments suggested that the anthrylmethyl radical combines with different ATSC fragments during the reaction. ATSC, its one-electron reduction products, and dimers were analyzed combining experiments with density functional theory.

Cyclohexane oxidation using Au/MgO: an investigation of the reaction mechanism

The liquid phase oxidation of cyclohexane was undertaken using Au/MgO and the reaction mechanism was investigated by means of continuous wave (CW) EPR spectroscopy employing the spin trapping technique. Activity tests aimed to determine the conversion and selectivity of Au/MgO catalyst showed that Au was capable of selectivity control to cyclohexanol formation up to 70%, but this was accompanied by a limited enhancement in conversion when compared with the reaction in the absence of catalyst. In contrast, when radical initiators were used, in combination with Au/MgO, an activity comparable to that observed in industrial processes at ca. 5% conversion was found, with retained high selectivity. By studying the free radical autoxidation of cyclohexane and the cyclohexyl hydroperoxide decomposition in the presence of spin traps, we show that Au nanoparticles are capable of an enhanced generation of cyclohexyl alkoxy radicals, and the role of Au is identified as a promoter of the catalytic autoxidation processes, therefore demonstrating that the reaction proceeds via a radical chain mechanism.

Oxidation reactions of 2-thiouracil: a theoretical and pulse radiolysis study

The reaction of hydroxyl radical ((•)OH) with the nucleic acid base analogue 2-thiouracil (1) has been studied by pulse radiolysis experiments and DFT. The generic intermediate radicals feasible for the (•)OH reactions with 1, namely, one electron oxidation product (1(•+)), (•)OH-adducts (3(•), 4(•), and 5(•)), and H-abstracted radicals (6(•) and 7(•)), were characterized by interpreting their electronic and structural properties along with calculated energetics and UV-vis spectra. Pulse radiolysis experiments showed that the transient formed in the reaction of (•)OH with 1 in water at pH 6.5 has λ(max) at 430 nm. A bimolecular rate constant, k(2) of 9.6 × 10(9) M(-1) s(-1), is determined for this reaction via competition kinetics with 2-propanol. The experiments suggested that the transient species could be a dimer radical cation 2(•+), formed by the reaction of 1 with the radical cation 1(•+). For this reaction, an equilibrium constant of 4.7 × 10(3) M(-1) was determined. The transient formed in the reaction of 1 with pulse radiolytically produced Br(2)(•-) at pH 6.5 as well as Cl(2)(•-) at pH 1 has also produced λ(max) at 430 nm and suggested the formation of 2(•+). The calculated UV-vis spectra of the transient species (1(•+), 3(•), 4(•), 5(•), 6(•), and 7(•)) showed no resemblance to the experimental spectra, while that of 2(•+) (λ(max) = 420 nm) agreed well with the experimental value and thus confirmed the formation of 2(•+). The 420 nm peak was due to σ → σ* electronic excitation centered on a 2-center-3-electron (2c-3e) sulfur-sulfur bond [-S∴S-]. 2(•+) is the first reported example of a dimer radical cation in a pyrimidine heterocyclic system. Further, 5-C and 6-C substituted (substituents are -F, -Cl, -NH(2), -N(CH(3))(2), -OCH(3), -CF(3), -CH(3), -CH(2)CH(3), n-propyl, phenyl, and benzyl) and 5,6-disubstituted 2-thiouracil systems have been characterized by DFT and found that the reaction (1 + 1(•+) → 2(•+)) is exergonic (1.12-13.63 kcal/mol) for many of them.

Determination of ammonia in water based on chemiluminescence resonance energy transfer between peroxymonocarbonate and branched NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+ nanoparticles

The ultraweak chemiluminescence (CL) from the reaction of hydrogen peroxide and carbonate is strongly enhanced by the branched NaYF(4):Yb(3+)/Er(3+) nanoparticle (NP) in the presence of aqueous ammonia. It was explained that ammonia catalyzes the decomposition of peroxymonocarbonate, which is the product of hydrogen peroxide mixing with bicarbonate, making the formation of (CO(2))(2)*, (O(2))(2)*, and (1)O(2). The excitation energy, carried by these emitter intermediates, can be transferred to NaYF(4):Yb(3+)/Er(3+) NP. The CL intensity is directly proportional to the concentration of ammonia present in the solution. A flow-injection CL system with high sensitivity, selectivity, and reproducibility is proposed for the determination of aqueous ammonia. The proposed method exhibited advantages in a larger linear range from 0.5 μmol L(-1) to 50 μmol L(-1) and a lower detection limit of 1.1 × 10(-8) mol L(-1) (S/N = 3). This method has been successfully applied to the evaluation of ammonia in water samples with recoveries from 95% to 108%. The relative standard deviations are 1.8% and 4.1% for intra-assay and inter-assay precision, respectively.

Study on the generation mechanism of reactive oxygen species on calcium peroxide by chemiluminescence and UV-visible spectra

In the present work, the generation mechanism of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on calcium peroxide (CaO(2)) was studied. A very intense chemiluminescence (CL) signal was observed when adding an aqueous solution of luminol or 2-methyl-6-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3,7-dihydroimidazo[1,2alpha]-pyrazin-3-one hydrochloride (MCLA) to a suspension of CaO(2). The ROS released on CaO(2) were thought to be oxidizing agents leading to CL, and were characterized by CL, UV-visible (UV-vis) spectra and the effective scavengers of the special ROS. From experimental results, the hydroxyl (.OH) and superoxide (.O(2) (-)) radicals were suggested to exist on the surface of CaO(2). A reaction scheme for the formation of the ROS on CaO(2) was also proposed and discussed. Of more interest was the finding that the CaO(2) which released the .OH and .O(2) (-) on the surface exhibited good transition properties compared with alkaline-earth metal peroxides of the same group (MgO(2), BaO(2)).

Effect of pH on One-Electron Oxidation Chemistry of Organoselenium Compounds in Aqueous Solutions

Pulse radiolysis coupled with absorption detection has been employed to study one-electron oxidation of selenomethionine (SeM), selenocystine (SeCys), methyl selenocysteine (MeSeCys), and selenourea (SeU) in aqueous solutions. Hydroxyl radicals (*OH) in the pH range from 1 to 7 and specific one-electron oxidants Cl2*- (pH 1) and Br2*- (pH 7) have been used to carry out the oxidation reactions. The bimolecular rate constants for these reactions were reported to be in the range of 2 x 10(9) to 10 x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1). Reactions of oxidizing radicals with all these compounds produced selenium-centered radical cations. The structure and stability of the radical cation were found to depend mainly on the substituent and pH. SeM, at pH 7, produced a monomer radical cation (lambdamax approximately 380 nm), while at pH 1, a dimer radical cation was formed by the interaction between oxidized and parent SeM (lambdamax approximately 480 nm). Similarly, SeCys, at pH 7, on one-electron oxidation, produced a monomer radical cation (lambdamax approximately 460 nm), while at pH 1, the reaction produced a transient species with (lambdamax approximately 560 nm), which is also a monomer radical cation. MeSeCys on one-electron oxidation in the pH range from 1 to 7 produced monomer radical cations (lambdamax approximately 350 nm), while at pH < 0, the reaction produced dimer radical cations (lambdamax approximately 460 nm). SeU at all the pH ranges produced dimer radical cations (lambdamax approximately 410 nm). The association constants of the dimer radical cations of SeM, MeSeCys, and SeU were determined by following absorption changes at lambdamax as a function of concentration. From these studies it is concluded that formation of monomer and dimer radical cations mainly depends on the substitution, pH, and the heteroatoms like N and O. The availability of a lone pair on an N or O atom at the beta or gamma position results in monomer radical cations having intramolecular stabilization. When such a lone pair is not available, the monomer radical cation is converted into a dimer radical cation which acquires intermolecular stabilization by the other selenium atom. The pH dependency confirms the role of protonation on stabilization. The oxidation chemistry of these selenium compounds is compared with that of their sulfur analogues.

Reactions of Biological Oxidants with Selenourea: Formation of Redox Active Nanoselenium

Reactions of biological oxidizing agents, such as hydroxyl radicals ((*)OH), singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)), hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), and peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) with selenourea were studied. The kinetics of the reactions was followed using time-resolved techniques, and the bimolecular rate constants were determined. In all these reactions, under aerated conditions, elemental red selenium was produced as one of the reaction products. The average size of the selenium particles could be controlled and stabilized in the range of 20-100 nm with the addition of bovine serum albumin (BSA) or sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The particles were characterized by dynamic light scattering studies (DLS), which revealed that the size and distribution of the particles depended mainly on the amount of selenourea undergoing oxidation. Other factors such as the nature of the oxidant and the concentration of the stabilizer also are important in stabilizing the particles. Nanoselenium-reduced ABTS(*-) to colorless ABTS(2-) (ABTS = 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) and oxidized dichlorodihydrofluoresecein diacetate (DCFA) to fluorescent dichlorofluorescein (DCF) indicating its ability to participate in redox and free radical reactions. The reactivity of selenium nanoparticles with these systems varied linearly with the surface area of the particles. The studies demonstrate that selenourea undergoes oxidation with both one-electron and two-electron oxidants to produce elemental selenium, which, on stabilization to nanometer size, exhibits size-dependent redox activity.

One Electron Oxidation Induced Dimerization of 5-Hydroxytryptophol: Role of 5-Hydroxy Substitution

Reaction of one-electron oxidant (Br(2)(*-)) with tryptophol (TP) and 5-hydroxytryptophol (HTP) have been studied in aqueous solution in the pH range from 3 to 10, employing nanosecond pulse radiolysis technique and the transients detected by kinetic spectrophotometry. One-electron oxidation of TP has produced an indolyl radical that absorbs in the 300-600 nm region with radical pK(a) = 4.9 +/- 0.2, while the reaction with HTP has produced an indoloxyl radical with lambda(max) at 420 nm and radical pK(a) < 3. Hydroxyl radicals ((*)OH) react with these two compounds producing (*)OH radical adducts that undergo water elimination to give one-electron-oxidized indolyl and indoloxyl radical species, respectively. The indoloxyl radicals react with the parent compound to form dimer radicals with an average association constant of (6.7 +/- 0.4) x 10(4) M(-1). No such dimerization is observed with indolyl radical, indicating that the presence of the 5-hydroxy group markedly alters its ability to form a dimer. A possible explanation behind such a difference in reactivity has been supported with ab initio quantum chemical calculations.

Stability, Metastability, and Unstability of Three-Electron-Bonded Radical Anions. A Model ab Initio Theoretical Study

The stability of O therefore O, N therefore N, S therefore S, P therefore P, and Si therefore Si three-electron bonds in anionic radicals isoelectronic to dihalogen radical anions is studied by means of ab initio calculations on model systems. The difficulty of generating the dissociation energy profiles of such anions and their rearrangement to neutral species is solved by a practical method which consists of calculating the neutral and anionic energy profiles separately and shifting the curves with respect to each other to match the experimental energy gap between the asymptotes. Here the neutral and anionic reaction profiles are calculated at the CASPT2 and MP2 levels, respectively. The calculations predict that the O therefore O bond is likely to be observed in anions of the type [RO therefore OR](*-), where R is any alkyl substituent or carbon chain. The anion Si(2)H(6)(*-) is found to be a metastable species, with a fair barrier to electron detachment. The barrier is much smaller for N(2)H(4)(*-) and P(2)H(4)(*-), thus precluding experimental observation. However, these species can be stabilized by electron-attractor substituents, the effect of which can be quantitatively estimated by means of the parent anion's diagrams and some fast complementary calculations. An example is given with the [CF(3)HN therefore NHCF(3)](*-) anionic complex.

Methyl substituent effects in [H(n)X...XH(n)](+) three-electron-bonded radical cations (X = F, O, N, Cl, S, P; n = 1 - 3). An ab initio theoretical study

The effects of methyl substitution on the geometries and bonding energies of a systematic series of three-electron-bonded radical cations of the type [H(n)X...XH(n)](+), covering all possible symmetrical three-electron bonds that may take place between atoms of the second and third rows of the periodic table, have been investigated at the level of Møller-Plesset perturbation theory. Methyl substitution leads to significant weakening and lengthening of the X...X bond when X is a second-row atom. The effects increase with the number of substitutions and are more and more important in the series X = N, O, F. By contrast, methyl substitution leaves the bonding energies between third-row atoms practically unchanged but leads to a surprising bond shortening in the S...S and P...P cases. These seemingly contradictory effects are rationalized through a qualitative analysis based on an elementary molecular orbital description of three-electron bonding.