SUMMARY:A novel antioxidant, butylated caffeic acid (BCA) was rationally designed by adding a tertbutyl group to caffeic acid, which was synthesized at a high yield (36.2%) from 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol (1) by a four-step reaction including Friedel-Crafts alkylation, bromine oxidation, ether bond hydrolysis and Knoevenagel condensation. Its antioxidant capacity was much stronger than common commercial antioxidant tert-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ) and its mother compound, caffeic acid, in both rancimat and deep frying tests. When investigated via the DPPH method, the antioxidant capacity of BCA was almost equal to TBHQ, but lower than caffeic acid. BCA could be a potentially strong antioxidant, especially for food processing at high temperatures such as deep frying and baking.
KEYWORDS: Antioxidant capacity; Butylated caffeic acid; Deep fryingRESUMEN: Ácido cafeico butilado: un nuevo y eficaz antioxidante. Se diseñó razonadamente un nuevo antioxidante, el ácido cafeico butilado (BCA) mediante la adición de un grupo terc-butilo al ácido cafeico, que se sintetizó con un alto rendimiento (36,2%) a partir de 2-metoxi-4-metilfenol, reacción de Friedel-Crafts, oxidación de bromo, hidrólisis del enlace éter y condensación de Knoevenagel. Su capacidad antioxidante fué mucho más fuerte que la del antioxidante comercial mas común el terc-butil hidroquinona (TBHQ) y la de su compuesto madre el ácido cafeico, tanto en rancimat como en pruebas de fritura. Cuando se investigó mediante el método DPPH, la capacidad antioxidante de BCA fue casi igual a TBHQ, pero menor que la del ácido cafeico. BCA podría ser un fuerte antioxidante potencial, especialmente para el procesamiento de alimentos a alta temperatura, tales como freír y hornear.
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