a b s t r a c tThe electrochemical behaviour of phenol, catechol, hydroquinone, resorcinol, dopamine, and para-substituted phenolic compounds, 4-ethylphenol, tyrosine, and tyramine, was studied over a wide pH range using a glassy carbon electrode. The oxidation of phenol is pH dependent and irreversible, occurring in one step, and followed by hydrolyse in ortho-and para-positions, leading to two oxidation products, catechol and hydroquinone. The oxidation of phenol oxidation products, ortho-phenol and para-phenol, is reversible and pH dependent. The oxidation potential of para-substituted phenols varies slightly due to their substituent group in position C4, and occurs in one oxidation step corresponding to the oxidation of phenol. The oxidation products of this group of para-substituted phenols are reversibly oxidised and adsorb on the electrode surface.

The electrochemical behaviour of indole and a group of indole-containing compounds with a substituent at the C3 position, indol-3-acetamide (IAM), tryptamine, gramine, indole acetic acid (IAA), indole propionic acid (IPA), indole butyric acid (IBA) and tryptophan, was investigated at a glassy carbon electrode, in order to determine their oxidation pathways. Indole undergoes one irreversible pH dependent oxidation, whereas the oxidation process of indole derivatives was more complex, a two step, the oxidation at C2 position on the pyrrole ring followed by the hydroxylation at the C7 position of the benzene moiety of indoles, irreversible pH dependent oxidation.

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Natural phenolic compounds are abundant in the vegetable kingdom, occurring mainly as secondary metabolites in a wide variety of chemical structures. Around 10,000 different plant phenolic derivatives have been isolated and identified. This review provides an exhaustive overview concerning the electron transfer reactions in natural polyphenols, from the point of view of their in vitro antioxidant and/or pro‐oxidant mode of action, as well as their identification in highly complex matrixes, for example, fruits, vegetables, wine, food supplements, relevant for food quality control, nutrition, and health research. The accurate assessment of polyphenols’ redox behavior is essential, and the application of the electrochemical methods in routine quality control of natural products and foods, where the polyphenols antioxidant activity needs to be quantified in vitro, is of the utmost importance. The phenol moiety oxidation pathways and the effect of substituents and experimental conditions on their electrochemical behavior will be reviewed. The fundamental principles concerning the redox behavior of natural polyphenols, specifically flavonoids and other benzopyran derivatives, phenolic acids and ester derivatives, quinones, lignins, tannins, lignans, essential oils, stilbenes, curcuminoids, and chalcones, will be described. The final sections will focus on the electroanalysis of phenolic antioxidants in natural products and the electroanalytical evaluation of in vitro total antioxidant capacity.

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