Effect of ascorbic acid and its derivatives on the radiation-chemical transformations of hydroxyl-containing organic compounds

The effect of ascorbic acid, 5,6-O-isopropylidyl-2,3-O-dimethylascorbic acid, and 2-O-glucopyranosylascorbic acid on the formation of main radiolysis products of ethanol and aqueous ethanol, ethylene glycol, α-methylglucopyranoside, and maltose solutions was studied by means of continuous radiolysis. The obtained results indicate that ascorbic acid effectively reacts with the carbon-centered hydroxyl-containing radicals derived from the substrates, thus decreasing the yield of their recombination and fragmentation products. It was found that the interaction of ascorbic acid and its derivatives with the carbon-centered radicals during the radiolysis of deaerated ethanol and its aqueous solutions may occur via both reducing and oxidizing mechanisms and that ascorbic acid in the aerated solutions acts as a hydrogen donor, reducing mainly the HO2· radical to hydrogen peroxide.