Chain-Breaking Phenolic 2,3-Dihydrobenzo[b]selenophene Antioxidants : Proximity Effects and Regeneration Studies

Phenolic 2,3-dihydrobenzo[b]selenophene anti-oxidants carrying the OH-group ortho (9), meta (10, 11) and para (8) to the Se were prepared by seleno-Claisen rearrangement/intramolecular hydroselenation. Meta-isomer (11) was studied by X-ray crystallography. The radical-trapping activity and regenerability of compounds 8-11 were evaluated using a two-phase system where linoleic acid was undergoing peroxidation in the lipid phase while regeneration of the antioxidant by co-antioxidants (N-acetylcysteine, glutathione, dithiothreitol, ascorbic acid, tris(carboxyethyl)phosphine hydrochloride) was ongoing in the aqueous layer. Compound 9 quenched peroxyl radicals more efficiently than α-tocopherol. It also provided the most long-lasting antioxidant protection. With thiol co-antioxidants it could inhibit peroxidation for more than five-fold longer than the natural product. Regeneration was more efficient when the aqueous phase pH was slightly acidic. Since calculated O-H bond dissociation energies for 8-11 were substantially larger than for α-tocopherol, an antioxidant mechanism involving O-atom transfer from peroxyl to selenium was proposed. The resulting phenolic selenoxide/alkoxyl radical would then exchange a hydrogen atom in a solvent cage before antioxidant regeneration at the aqueous lipid interphase.