Electrochemical Properties of Catechin in Non-Aqueous Media

The oxidation of flavonoids is of great interest because flavonoids act as antioxidants scavenging free radicals through the electron transfer processes. Electrochemical oxidation of catechin at a platinum (Pt) electrode was investigated using cyclic (CV) and differential pulse (DPV) voltammetry methods. The oxidation of catechin is an irreversible two-step process. The effect of scan rate and substrate concentration on the electrode reactions was determined. The oxidation process and its kinetics have been investigated. Certain parameters of the substrate electrooxidation, i.e., the heterogeneous rate constant and the charge transfer coefficient, were calculated. Based on the experimental results and quantum chemistry calculations, the electrooxidative mechanisms of catechin were proposed. The results underline the importance of electrochemical methods in the clarification of the oxidation processes of bioactive molecules. The properties of catechin in a homogeneous environment were investigated using FTIR spectroscopy and DSC analysis