Although one can find numerous studies devoted to the investigation of antioxidative activity of ellagic acid (EA) in the scientific literature, the mechanisms of its action have not yet been fully clarified. Therefore, further kinetic studies are needed to understand its antioxidative capacity completely. This work aims to reveal the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for the antioxidative action of EA. For this purpose, its reactions with HO• and CCl3OO• radicals were simulated at physiological conditions using the quantum mechanics-based test for overall free-radical scavenging activity. The density functional theory in combination with the conductor-like polarizable continuum solvation model (CPCM) was utilized. With HO radical EA conforms to the hydrogen atom transfer and radical adduct formation mechanisms, whereas sequential proton loss electron transfer mechanism is responsible for scavenging of CCl3OO• radical. In addition, compared to trolox, EA was found more reactive toward HO•, but less reactive toward CCl3OO•. The calculated rate constants for the reactions of EA with both free radicals are in a very good agreement with the corresponding experimental values.
COBISS.SI-ID: 21913603
In this work the scavenging capacities of biologically active phloroglucinol (1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene, THB–OH) and structurally similar 2,4,6-trihydroxypyridine (THP–OH) towards HO• were examined. This task was realized by means of density functional theory, through investigation of all favorable antioxidative pathways in two solvents of different polarity: benzene and water. It was found that in benzene both compounds conform to the hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) and radical adduct formation (RAF) mechanisms. In water, the mechanisms of antioxidative action of the investigated compounds are far more complex, especially those of THB–OH. This compound and HO• undergo all four investigated mechanisms: HAT, RAF, sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET), and single electron transfer-proton transfer (SET-PT). HAT, RAF and SPLET are operative mechanisms in the case of THP–OH. Independently of solvent polarity, both investigated compounds are more reactive towards HO• in comparison to Trolox. Our final remark is as follows: the electron-withdrawing effect of the nitrogen is stronger than the electrondonating effect of the OH groups in the molecule of THP–OH. As a consequence, THB–OH is more powerful antioxidant than THP–OH, thus implying that the presence of nitrogen decreases the scavenging capacity of the respective compound.
COBISS.SI-ID: 58500867
The pyrocatechol inhibitory effect on the oscillatory Bray- Liebhafsky (BL) reaction is reported. Obtained results are compared with those available in the literature (R. Cervellati et al, Helvetica Chimica Acta 2001) for Briggs-Rauscher (BR) reaction with pyrocatechol addition. The two orders of magnitude larger calibration curve slope obtained in BR in comparison to BL reaction, suggests that different reactions are responsible for inhibitory effects in these systems. The potential explanation of pyrocatechol behavior is given by employing the ultraviolet-visible (UV/VIS) spectroscopy, density functional theory, and coupled cluster computational methods. The last two were employed for the first time to discover potential candidates among unstable chemical species HIO, HIO2, I2O, HOO•, HO•, IO•, IO2•, and I• of the BL (and BR) system for reaction with pyrocatechol. The calculated reaction rate constants for the hydrogen atom transfer reactions between pyrocatechol and free radical intermediates indicate the following order of reactivity: HO• ) IO• ) HOO• ) IO2•. The same order of reactivity is also observed in the case of a thermodynamic investigation. In addition, kinetic insight indicates that the inhibitory behavior of pyrocatechol could not be explained with one particular chemical reaction in the BL (or in the BR) oscillatory system.
COBISS.SI-ID: 21911811