Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Detection of Nitric Oxide and Superoxide Radical Anion by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy from Cells using Spin Traps
Published on: August 18, 2012
Long-lived radical cations as model compounds for the reactive one-electron oxidation product of vitamin E
Hong Mei Peng1, Becky F Choules, Wei Wei Yao
1Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
Abstract:
Heterocyclic compounds with structures similar to vitamin E, but without the hydroxyl hydrogen atom, were synthesized and their electrochemical behavior examined in acetonitrile solutions and as solids in aqueous solutions of varying pH by attaching the compounds to the surface of a glassy carbon electrode. Compound 1, containing a fully methylated aromatic ring was found to be the most long-lived following one-electron oxidation, with its radical cation (1+*) surviving in acidic aqueous solutions and able to be isolated as a salt, 1+*(SbF6-), when reacted with NOSbF6 in CH3CN. Electrochemical, UV-vis and FTIR experiments on 1+*, in addition to the results from theoretical calculations, indicated that the electrochemical, electronic and structural properties of 1+* are very similar to those of the radical cation of vitamin E.
Related Concept Videos
Radical Autoxidation
Oxidation of Phenols to Quinones
o-hydroxy phenols are oxidized to o-quinones and p-hydroxy phenols to p-quinones. Such redox reactions involve the transfer of two electrons and two protons. The reversible redox property is crucial in...
Radical Reactivity: Overview
Radical Reactivity: Steric Effects
Along with electronic factors, steric factors also account...
Radical Reactivity: Electrophilic Radicals
Radical Reactivity: Nucleophilic Radicals

