No abstract

The first report regarding SOD activity of metallocorroles, investigated via the combination of the cytochrome C assay, pulse radiolysis, and electrochemistry, is used for identifying the main criteria needed for achieving good performance, as well as for elucidating mechanistic aspects of their action.

Silver and gold nanoparticles are very efficient catalysts for the dimerization of methyl-radicals in aqueous solutions. The rate constants for the reaction of methyl-radicals with the gold and silver nanoparticles were measured and found to be 3.7 x 10(8) M(-1) s(-1) and 1.4 x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1), respectively. The results thus suggest that alkyl-radicals, also not reducing ones, are scavenged by these nanoparticles. This might explain the role, if such a role exists, of these nanoparticles in medical applications.

No abstract

The reactions (CuTL + 'R -LCun-R and the mechanism of decomposition of the transient complexes LCu11-R were studied using the pulse-radiolysis technique (L1 = H2O, L* 12 = 2,5,8,ll-tetramethyl-2,5,8,ll-tetraazadodecane; 'R = 'CH3, 'CH2COOH, 'CH(CH3)COOH, •-CH2CH2COOH.) The kinetics of formation of the transient complexes obey pseudo-firstorder rate laws. The rate constants measured for these reactions are in the range (2-4) x 109 M-1 s-1 for L1 and 6 x 106 7*-1 x 10s M-1 s-1 for L2. The mechanisms of decomposition of the transient complexes depend on the nature of R and L as follows: 1. For R = CH3 ethane is the final product. The kinetics of its formation obey second-order rate laws. Free methyl radicals are not intermediates in these processes. 2. For R = CH2CH2COOH the transient complexes decompose via an analogous mechanism to that of R = CH3 for L1 and via homolysis of the copper-carbon a bond for L2. 3. For R = CH2COOH and CH(CHs)-COOH the transient complexes decompose via heterolysis of the copper-carbon a bonds forming CunL. The effect of the nature of R and L on the kinetics of these reactions is discussed.