Synthesis of novel nitrone spin-traps

ORGN 168

Caroline Quin, caquin@chem.gla.ac.uk, Richard C. Hartley, richh@chem.gla.ac.uk, and Alison Hay, alisonh@chem.gla.ac.uk. Department of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide and hydroxyl radicals are produced in excess during periods of oxidative stress. These radicals can react with biomolecules causing cell dysfunction or apoptosis. As a result ROS are linked to a number of diseases as well as the degenerative effects of ageing. Reactive oxygen species have a short lifetime and are difficult to detect, therefore a technique known as spin-trapping is employed for the investigation of ROS. Utilising a new route to a dihydroisoindole motif a novel spin-trap has been synthesised. The spin trap is targeted to mitocondria the main source of ROS and has sucessfully trapped carbon and oxygen centred radicals with EPR spectra obtained.