Chemical Research in Chinese Universities ›› 1999, Vol. 15 ›› Issue (2): 146-151.

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Autooxidation Mechanism of Pyrogallol, Its Free Radical Effects Studied by Means of ESR, UV, NMR

LIU Shan-lin1, ZHAO Bao-lu2, SHI Dong-yun1, XIN Wen-juan2   

  1. 1. Department of Biochemistry, Shanghai Medical University, Shanghai, 200032;
    2. Institute of Biophysics, Academia Sinica, Beijing, 100101
  • Received:1998-03-14 Online:1999-04-24 Published:2011-08-17
  • Supported by:

    Supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai

Abstract: Pyrogallol(pyrogallic acid) is easy to be auto-oxidized, forming a free radical under alkaline condition, but the mechanism has not been clear. The mechanism of the auto-oxidation of pyrogallol was studied with ESR, UV, NMR techniques, it was found that pyrogallol was autooxidized to a quinone radical under alkaline condition. And at the same time oxygen recieved an electron from the reaction to form superoxide anions, the hydroxyl free radical was then produced by Haber-Weiss reaction. The oxygen free radicals generated from this process promoted the auto-oxidation of pyrogallol.

Key words: Pyrogallol, Free radical, ESR, NMR, UV