title: A study of the reactivity of HO2/O2- with unsaturated fatty acids.
abstract: The reaction of perhydroxyl radical (HO2) with linoleic, linolenic, and arachidonic acids has been studied in aqueous ethanolic solutions by the stopped flow technique. The corresponding rate constants are 1.2 x 10(3), 1.7 x 10(3), and 3.0 x 10(3) M-1 S-1, respectively. While kinetic results suggest that the HO2 radical reacts with the double allylic H atom of the polyunsaturated fatty acids, thermodynamic approximations indicate that the reaction is exothermic by approximately 10 kcal/mol. The relevance of this reaction to membrane damage observed in biological systems that have been exposed to HO2/O2- radicals is discussed.
mesh_terms: D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000378:metabolism*; D005609:Free Radicals; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D019301:Oleic Acid; D009829:Oleic Acids / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D005609:Free Radicals; D009829:Oleic Acids; D019301:Oleic Acid; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide