A REINVESTIGATION OF THE REACTION OF DESFERRIOXAMINE WITH SUPEROXIDE RADICALS - A PULSE-RADIOLYSIS STUDY

The reaction of desferrioxamine with superoxide has been studied using the pulse radiolysis technique. The decay of O2- was not accelerated in the presence of up to 4 × 10-4 M desferrioxamine at physiological pH. The rate constant was found to be lower than 2 × 104 M-1 S-1. In acid solutions the rate constant of the reaction between desferrioxamine and HO2 was found to be lower than 105 M-1 S-1. The reaction was not studied in alkaline solutions due to the high absorbance of desferrioxamine in the U. V. region. The pK of desferrioxamine was determined to be 9.2 ± 0.05. © 1990 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.