The kinetic of the nitrous acid reactions with quercetin and catechin has been studied using spectrophotometric method in aqueous solution. The results show that these antioxidants participate in oxidation reactions with nitrous acid which is derived from protonation of nitrite ion in mild acidic conditions. Corresponding o-quinones as relatively stable products were detected by spectrophotometric techniques. pH dependence of the reactions has been examined and the rate constants of reactions were obtained by non-linear fitting of kinetic profiles. The effect of β-cyclodextrin on the oxidation pathway was another object of this study. It is shown that β-cyclodextrin has an inhibitory effect on the oxidation reaction. The rate constants of oxidation reactions for complexed forms and their stability constants were obtained based on changes in the reaction rates as a function of β-cyclodextrin concentration.
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