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DFT calculations using the B3LYP functional, medium-sized basis sets and empirical scaling of the results provide quantitative estimates of the hydrogen isotropic hyperfine splitting constants (hscs) in 2,6-di-alkyl phenoxyl radicals (1-11). Literature hscs for phenoxyl (12), 4-methylphenoxyl (13) and 4-methoxyphenoxyl (14) radicals, on the other hand, are poorly predicted by using this method. This different behaviour is explained considering that experimental hscs of 12-14 are influenced by H-bonds formed between phenoxyls and their parent phenols, usually present in large amounts in solution as radical precursors. This was confirmed experimentally by measuring the EPR spectra of 12-14 in the presence of increasing amounts of their parent phenols, and by calculating the hscs in the case of the formation of 1 : 1 and 1 : 2 complexes between these radicals and phenol. Relevance of these results to the choice of reference hscs as benchmarks for theoretical calculations and to kinetic and thermochemical determinations on unhindered phenoxyl radicals is discussed.

Remote intramolecular hydrogen bonds (HBs) in phenols and benzylammonium cations influence the dissociation enthalpies of their O-H and C-N bonds, respectively. The direction of these intramolecular HBs, para --> meta or meta --> para, determines the sign of the variation with respect to molecules lacking remote intramolecular HBs. For example, the O-H bond dissociation enthalpy of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenol, 4, is about 2.5 kcal/mol lower than that of its isomer 3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenol, 5, although group additivity rules would predict nearly identical values. In the case of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzylammonium and 3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzylammonium ions, the CBS-QB3 level calculated C-N eterolytic dissociation enthalpy is about 3.7 kcal/mol lower in the former ion. These effects are caused by the strong electron-withdrawing character of the -O(*) and -CH(2)(+) groups in the phenoxyl radical and benzyl cation, respectively, which modulates the strength of the HB. An O-H group in the para position of ArO(*) or ArCH(2)(+) becomes more acidic than in the parent molecules and hence forms stronger HBs with hydrogen bond acceptors (HBAs) in the meta position. Conversely, HBAs, such as OCH(3), in the para position become weaker HBAs in phenoxyl radicals and benzyl cations than in the parent molecules. These product thermochemistries are reflected in the transition states for, and hence in the kinetics of, hydrogen atom abstraction from phenols by free radicals (dpph(*) and ROO(*)). For example, the 298 K rate constant for the 4 + dpph(*) reaction is 22 times greater than that for the 5 + dpph(*) reaction. Fragmentation of ring-substituted benzylammonium ions, generated by ESI-MS, to form the benzyl cations reflects similar remote intramolecular HB effects.

Little is known about the ED/EW character of organochalcogen substituents and their contribution to the O-H bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE) in phenolic compounds. A series of ortho- and para-(S,Se,Te)R-substituted phenols were prepared and investigated by EPR, IR, and computational methods. Substituents lowered the O-H BDE by >3 kcal/mol in the para position, while the ortho-effect was modest due to hydrogen bonding ( approximately 3 kcal/mol) to the O-H group.

Rotation about the Ar-S bond in ortho-(alkylthio)phenols strongly affects the bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE) and the reactivity of the OH group. Newly synthesized sulfur containing heterocycles 3 and 4, where the -SR group is almost coplanar with the phenolic ring, are characterized by unusually low BDE(O-H) values (79.6 and 79.2 kcal/mol, respectively) and by much higher reactivities toward peroxyl radicals than the ortho-methylthio derivative 1 (82.0 kcal/mol). The importance of the intramolecular hydrogen bond (IHB) in determining the BDE(O-H) was demonstrated by FT-IR experiments, which showed that in heterocycles 3 and 4 the IHB between the phenolic OH group and the S atom is much weaker than that present in 1. Since the IHB can be formed only if the -SR group adopts an out-of-plane geometry, this interaction is possible only in the methylthio derivative 1 and not in 3 and 4. The additive contribution to the phenolic BDE(O-H) of the -SR substituent therefore varies from -3.1 to +2.8 kcal/mol for the in-plane and out-of-plane conformations, respectively. These results may be relevant to understanding the role of the tyrosine-cysteine link in the active site of galactose oxidase, an important enzyme that catalyzes the two-electron aerobic oxidation of primary alcohols to aldehydes. The switching of the ortho -SR substituent between perpendicular and planar conformations may account for the catalytic efficiency of this enzyme.

A kinetic and thermodynamic investigation of phenols para-substituted with thiyl (SR), sulfinyl (SOR), and sulfonyl (SO(2)R) groups and ortho-substituted with thiyl groups is reported. The effect of the sulfur substituents on the O-H bond dissociation enthalpy values, BDE(O-H), was measured by means of the EPR radical equilibration technique and the reactivity toward peroxyl radicals, k(inh), of these phenolic antioxidants was determined by inhibited autoxidation studies. An inverse correlation between these two parameters was found. A p-SMe substituent decreased the BDE(O-H) value to a lesser extent than a p-OMe group (-3.6 vs -4.4 kcal/mol), whereas the effect of the same groups in an ortho position showed an opposite trend (-0.85 vs -0.2 kcal/mol). The latter result is explained in terms of the different strength of the intramolecular hydrogen bond between the OH proton and the sulfur or oxygen substituents in ortho derivatives. ESI-MS analysis of the products formed by reacting the sulfides with peroxyl radicals from the azoinitiator AIBN revealed the formation of a complex mixture of products, which may play an important role in determining the overall antioxidant activity of the parent compounds.

A study on the regeneration of alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) by phenolic co-antioxidants in homogeneous hydrocarbon solution is reported. The behavior of some relevant phenols such as BHA, BHT, and trans-resveratrol appears to be nicely predicted by a model based on the knowledge of kinetic and thermochemical data concerning the various reactants. Despite its good reputation as an antioxidant, trans-resveratrol was found only moderately effective (k(inh) = 2.0 x 10(5) M(-1) s(-1) in chlorobenzene at 303 K) and unable to recycle vitamin E.

The effect of 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropan-2-ol (HFP) on the properties of phenoxyl radicals has been investigated. HFP produces large variations of the phenoxyl hyperfine splitting constants indicative of a large redistribution of electron spin density, which can be accounted for by the increased importance of the mesomeric structures with electric charge separation. The conformational rigidity of phenoxyl radicals with electron-releasing substituents is also greatly enhanced in the presence of HFP, as demonstrated by the 2 kcal/mol increase in the activation energy for the internal rotation of the p-OMe group in the p-methoxyphenoxyl radical. By using the EPR equilibration technique, we have found that in phenols the O-H bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE) is lowered in the presence of HFP because it preferentially stabilizes the phenoxyl radical. In phenols containing groups such as OR that are acceptors of H-bonds, the interaction between HFP and the substituent is stronger in the phenol than in the corresponding phenoxyl radical because the radical oxygen behaves as an electron-withdrawing group, which decreases the complexating ability of the substituent. In phenols containing OH or NH(2) groups, EPR experiments performed in H-bond accepting solvents showed that the interaction between the solvent and the substituent is much stronger in the phenoxyl radical than in the parent phenol because of the electron-withdrawing effect of the radical oxygen, which makes more acidic, and therefore more available to give H-bonds, the OH or NH(2) groups. These experimental results have been confirmed by DFT calculations. The effect of HFP solvent on the reactivity of phenols toward alkyl radicals has also been investigated. The results indicated that the decrease of BDE observed in the presence of HFP is not accompanied by a larger reactivity. The origin of this unexpected behavior has been shown by DFT computations. Finally, a remarkable increase in the persistency of the alpha-tocopheroxyl radical has been observed in the presence of HFP.

A kinetic and thermodynamic investigation on the antioxidant activity of 2,2'-methylenebis(6-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol) (2), 2,2'-ethylidenebis(4,6-di-tert-butylphenol) (3), and 4,4'-methylenebis(2,6-di-tert-butylphenol) (4) are reported. EPR studies of the equilibration between 3 or 4 and a reference phenol, and the corresponding phenoxyl radicals, allowed us to determine the O-H bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE) of the O-H bond as 81.2 and 81.1 kcal/mol in 3 and 4, respectively. Despite this similarity, the absolute rate constants for the reaction with peroxyl radicals, determined by autoxidation studies under controlled conditions, indicate that the o-bisphenols 2 and 3 behave as excellent antioxidants while the p-bisphenol 4 is less effective by a factor of 64 and 22, respectively. FT-IR spectroscopy and product studies suggest that the very good antioxidant activity of the o-bisphenols largely arises from both the reduced steric crowding about the hydroxyl group and the stabilization of the aroxyl radical due to the formation of an intramolecular hydrogen bond between the residual OH and the oxygen radical center.

The hydrogen-oxygen bond dissociation energies of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol, 2,5-di-tert-pentylhydroquinone, propyl gallate, and octyl gallate, which represent model compounds of three important classes of naturally occurring antioxidants, have been measured by an EPR equilibration technique, and the factors determining their values have been clarified. The excellent antioxidant activity of the these polyphenols is largely due to the stabilization of the aroxyl radical due to the formation of an intramolecular hydrogen bond.

Evaluates the thermochemical and kinetic properties of bisphenol antioxidant. Identification of radicals by the abstraction of hydroxylic hydrogen; Determination of hydrogen bond dissociation energy; Action of bisphenol.

Examines the bond dissociation enthalpy of alpha-tocopherol and other phenolic antioxidants. Determination of equilibrium constants for the reaction between galvinoxyl and a series of phenolic antioxidants by electron paramagnetic resonance; Reactive phenoxyl radicals; Rate and equilibrium constants for the reactions of alpha-tocopherol at 298 Kelvin in benzene solutions.

The effect of water on the O-H bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE) of para-substituted phenols has been investigated by means of DFT calculations. It is shown that the experimental BDE values are fairly well-reproduced by simple B3LYP/6-31G* calculations carried out on the phenol/phenoxyl-water complexes taking into account only hydrogen-bonding (HB) interactions of water molecules with molecular sites (HB model). On the contrary, the BDE values computed with the polarizable continuum model (PCM/B3LYP/6-31G*) are overestimated by about 3-4 kcal/mol. Discrepancy between theory and experiment increases using the PCM method in addition to the HB model. Calculations show that, in general, the HB interaction with water molecules decreases the BDE of phenols bearing electron-releasing groups while increasing the BDE of phenols bearing electron-withdrawing substituents. This opposite effect is explained by considering the resonance structures with charge separation both in phenols and in phenoxyl radicals. With electron donors, the phenoxyl radical is preferentially stabilized by the HB acceptor interaction with two water molecules, while with electron acceptors the phenol is preferentially stabilized by the HB donor interaction with one water molecule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction of an octyltelluro group ortho to the phenolic moiety in 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole (BHA) was found to significantly improve the antioxidant characteristics of the material. In contrast to BHA and the corresponding ortho-substituted octylthio- (9c) and octylseleno (9b) derivatives, the organotellurium 9a was regenerable when assayed for its capacity to inhibit azo-initiated peroxidation of linoleic acid in a chlorobenzene/water two-phase system containing N-acetylcysteine as a stoichiometric reducing agent, and peroxyl radicals were quenched more efficiently than with α-tocopherol. In the homogeneous phase, inhibition of styrene autoxidation occurred with a rate constant kinh as large as 1 x 107 M-1 s-1 but with a low (n = 0.4) stoichiometric factor. Evans- Polanij plots of log (kinh) versus BDE(O-H), which are usually linear for phenols with similar steric crowding reacting by H-atom transfer, revealed that compound 9a was more than 2 orders of magnitude more reactive than expected. Although further mechanistic investigations are needed, it seems that the ortho-arrangement of an alkyltelluro group and hydroxyl should be considered a privileged structure for phenolic antioxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chalcone, flavone, and arylideneflavanone derivatives bearing one or two 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl groups were synthesized from 2′,4′-dihydroxyacetophenone and 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde. These flavonoids were converted into the corresponding malonates and then reacted with C60 to yield the title compounds. The O–H bond dissociation enthalpies (BDE) and the chain-breaking antioxidant activity of the flavonoid derivatives and the corresponding C60 conjugates were evaluated. These results are consistent with the phenolic moiety being the main responsible for the reaction with peroxyl radicals, while the C60 part of the molecule acts synergically by trapping alkyl radicals under reduced O2 partial pressure. These novel C60–flavonoid conjugates are therefore promising leads for broad-spectrum radical scavengers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Examines the substituent effects of phenolic antioxidants on bond dissociation enthalpies. Use of electronic paramagnetic resonance radical equilibration technique; Alterations in bond strength; Increase in the reactivity of phenoxyl radicals.