The antioxidant reactivity of sorbitylfurfural towards potential harmful radicals, studied by radiation chemistry techniques

Ionising radiations, employed in a broad range of dose-rate, together with a complex non-linear computation of reaction mechanisms, allow the determination of boundary values of rate constants concerning sorbitylfurfural (SF) reactivity towards a wide series of oxidant and/or virtually harmful radicals. SF reacts with some radicals (H, SO₄^-˙, CO₃^-˙, Br₂^-˙, CH₃˙), produced with both pulse and stationary radiolysis in neutral aqueous solution, having electrophilic and/or oxidative behaviour. The rate constants range from diffusional (k = (7-9) × 10⁹ M^-1 s^-1) to relatively low values (k = 2 × 10⁵ M^-1 s^-1). The possibility to observe these reactions, by means of radiolytical techniques, is heavily influenced by dose-rate. A relation between the radical E⁰_NHE and their reactivity with SF is hinted.