A theoretical study of a model of N-tert-butyl-α-phenylnitrone (PBN) as active oxygen species scavenger Original Research Article

The reactions of nitrone-A, H2CN(O)H, as a simple model of N-tert-butyl-α-phenylnitrone (PBN), with 1O2 and with acetylene were investigated from a quantum chemical point of view. The reactions have been found to give the corresponding 5-membered 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions by means of the ab initio calculations for the equilibrium states and for the transition states. The reaction ergodographies along the intrinsic reaction coordinates (IRC) were studied. The virial theorem for a molecule on the IRC is investigated. A nitrone having phenyl group (nitrone-B), like PBN, underwent 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with superoxide (O2−), while nitrone-A with O2− did not make it.