Chemistry of superoxide ion. I. Oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol with KO2

Oxidation and degradation of (epi)gallocatechin gallate (EGCG/GCG) and (epi)catechin gallate (ECG/CG) in alkali solution

The oxidative decomposition/degradation of two main tea flavanols, EGCG/GCG and ECG/CG, was studied in alkaline solution under ultrasonic-assisted thermal conditions. The study employed HPLC-ESI-ToF-MS to identify the products generated by atmospheric oxygen oxidation and various base-catalyzed reactions. Strong basic condition led to accelerated hydrolysis and oxidation of EGCG/GCG and ECG/CG and yielded gallic acid, de-galloyl flavanols and corresponding o-quinone derivatives. Meanwhile, peroxidation or base-catalyzed cleavage and rearrangement occurred extensively on C- and B-rings of flavanol and generated various simpler aldehydes or acids. Besides, a number of dimers/trimers were produced. This contribution provides empirical proof of oxidative degradation of flavanols under strong alkaline condition. Meanwhile, detailed reaction mechanisms of C-/B-ring degradation and dimerization/polymerization phenomena are proposed to help understand the structural changes of flavanols under strong alkaline conditions.

Superoxide Ion: Generation and Chemical Implications

Superoxide ion (O2(•-)) is of great significance as a radical species implicated in diverse chemical and biological systems. However, the chemistry knowledge of O2(•-) is rather scarce. In addition, numerous studies on O2(•-) were conducted within the latter half of the 20th century. Therefore, the current advancement in technology and instrumentation will certainly provide better insights into mechanisms and products of O2(•-) reactions and thus will result in new findings. This review emphasizes the state-of-the-art research on O2(•-) so as to enable researchers to venture into future research. It comprises the main characteristics of O2(•-) followed by generation methods. The reaction types of O2(•-) are reviewed, and its potential applications including the destruction of hazardous chemicals, synthesis of organic compounds, and many other applications are highlighted. The O2(•-) environmental chemistry is also discussed. The detection methods of O2(•-) are categorized and elaborated. Special attention is given to the feasibility of using ionic liquids as media for O2(•-), addressing the latest progress of generation and applications. The effect of electrodes on the O2(•-) electrochemical generation is reviewed. Finally, some remarks and future perspectives are concluded.

Superoxide chemistry revisited: synthesis of tetrachloro-substituted methylenenortricyclenes

An unexpected reactivity of the superoxide ion leading to the synthesis of tetrachloroaryl/vinyl-substituted nortricyclenes through its dual mode of action has been reported. KO2 was found to be superior and the only reagent to perform this kind of reaction over other conventional bases. Addition of the antioxidant BHT (2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol) improved the yields of methylenenortricyclenes. A complete deuterium incorporation was observed in the superoxide-mediated reaction in DMSO-d 6. Friedel-Crafts acylation reactions of 3-methylenenorticyclenes yielded 2-propanone-substituted pentachloronorbornenes.

Redox reactions of 3,5-di-tert-butyl-1,2-benzoquinone. Implications for reversal of paper yellowing

One- and two-electron transfer reactions of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol and the corresponding quinone were studied by fast kinetic spectroscopy coupled with laser photolysis and pulse radiolysis, and by cyclic voltammetry in aqueous solutions. Photoionization of catechol yields the same semiquinone radical as the formate-radical-induced quinone reduction in the pulse radiolysis experiment. The neutral semiquinone radical deprotonates at pKr = 6.0 ± 0.1, as deduced from the pH induced changes in the radical spectra. The two-electron reduction potentials of quinone and catechol were measured by cyclic voltammetry in aqueous solutions containing 25% methanol in the pH range 3–14. The pH dependence has two linear parts with slopes of 0.056 and 0.03 V/pH, intersecting at pKa = 10.0. This is in excellent agreement with pKa = 10.05 ± 0.05 obtained spectrophotometrically. The reduction potential of 3,5-di-tert-butyl quinone, E7 = 0.01 ± 0.04 V, was obtained from the one-electron transfer equilibrium of the quinone with the oxygen/superoxide redox couple by pulse radiolysis. The rate constant of the reaction of quinone with the superoxide radical, k = 1.2 × 109 M−1 s−1, is higher than those of the superoxide reduction by catechols and phenols (typically ~ 105 M−1 s−1); thus, lignin o-quinones could be efficient scavengers of superoxide under the conditions relevant for the photo-induced yellowing of lignin-rich paper. The reaction with [Formula: see text] effectively bleaches yellow quinone and generates metastable furanone, which hydrolyses to muconic acid, thus completely eliminating yellow quinone. 3,5-Di-tert-butylquinone also undergoes rapid bleaching with ascorbate, k = 600 ± 100 M−1 s−1, in methanol. The reaction has a 1:1 stoichiometry and leads to complete reduction of quinone to catechol with concomitant oxidation of ascorbate to dehydroascorbate. This unusual selectivity and the fact that the reaction of the milder oxidant 3,5-di-tert-butylquinone is an order of magnitude faster than that of stronger oxidant p-benzoquinone (k = 60 ± 10 M−1 s−1) suggest that a nucleophilic attack of quinone at the ascorbate double bond initiates the reaction. Keywords: superoxide, lignin, photochemistry, quinone.

Microsomal and photochemical oxidation and reduction of 1-piperidinoanthraquinone

In microsomes of control Wistar rats, NADPH-dependent reduction of 1-piperidinoanthraquinone (1-PA) to the corresponding hydroquinone, in the absence of oxygen, has been observed. Two facts ((i) inhibition of the formation of 1-piperidinoanthrahydroquinone (1-PAH) by metyrapone and antibodies to cytochrome P-450, and (ii) increase in the rate of 1-PAH formation upon induction of rats by phenobarbital) indicate that cytochrome P-450 participates in the reduction of 1-PA. Since 1-PA is a substrate of cytochrome P-450 and is oxidized in microsomes to (N-anthraquinonyl-1)-delta-aminovaleric acid (AAV), model experiments have been conducted to examine whether the reduced forms of 1-PA are involved in its oxidation. During photochemical generation of 1-PAH and its subsequent oxidation (N-anthraquinonyl-1)-delta-aminovaleric aldehyde (AAVal) is formed. However, this product is formed without participation of activated form of the substrate and oxygen. AAVal is a substrate in photochemical systems, apparently, is a precursor of AAV in microsomal oxidation of 1-PA. AAVal is substrate of cytochrome P-450 (the Type 1 of binding) and is oxidized quantitatively in microsomal systems to yield AAV. The date obtained enable us to propose a possible mechanism of enzyme oxidation of 1-PA.

Singlet oxygen formation by a peroxidase, H2O2 and halide system

Evidence for singlet oxygen formation has been obtained for the lactoperoxidase, H2O2 and bromide system by monitoring 2,3-diphenylfuran and diphenylisobenzofuran oxidation, O2 evolution, and chemiluminescence. This could provide an explanation for the cytotoxic and microbicidal activity of peroxidases and polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Evidence for singlet oxygen formation included the following. (a) Chemiluminescence accompanying the enzymic reaction was doubled in a deuterated buffer and inhibited by singlet oxygen traps. (b) The singlet oxygen traps, diphenylfuran and diphenylisobenzofuran, were oxidized to their known singlet oxygen oxidation products in the presence of lactoperoxidase, hydrogen peroxide and bromide. (c) The rate of oxidation of diphenylfuran and diphenylisobenzofuran was inhibited when monitored in the presence of known singlet oxygen traps or quenchers. (d) Oxygen evolution from the enzymic reaction was inhibited by singlet oxygen traps but not by singlet oxygen quenchers. (e) The traps or quenchers which were effective inhibitors in the experiments above did not inhibit peroxidase activity, were not competitive peroxidase substrates and did not react with the hypobromite intermediate since they did not inhibit hydrogen peroxide consumption by the enzyme. Using these criteria, various biological molecules were tested for their reactivity with singlet oxygen. Furthermore, by studying their effect on oxygen release by the enzymic reaction, it could be ascertained whether they were acting as singlet oxygen traps or quenchers.