The electrochemistry of vitamin E hydro-alcoholic solutions of pH 3.1 to 12.1 was studied by cyclic voltammetry, controlled potential electrolysis, thin layer chromatography and UV-Vis, IR and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The presence of water was found to have important implications on the chemical stability of electrogenerated species. Vitamin E exhibits three oxidation peaks in hydro-alcoholic solutions at glassy carbon electrodes in contrast to just a single peak in other solvents. Although the electrochemical reaction at the first peak was found to be the same in presence and in absence of water, which is a one-step two-electron transfer process, two heterogeneous electrochemical reactions and three homogeneous chemical reactions following this peak were established based on electrochemical evidences for the first time in alcohol aqueous conditions. This insight is considered to be very important provided the mediator character of vitamin E in the electron transfer between aqueous and lipid phase in the organism.
vitamin E; electrochemistry; antioxidants
