Discovering the DPPH Free Radical Scavenging Activity of Azine Derivatives Bearing Ethyl Phenyl Ketone Moiety

Objective: The aim of this study was to synthesize azine analogues of 1,2-diphenylethan-1-one while assessing their ability to scavenge free radicals with DPPH. In order to explore these compounds’ potential as novel antioxidant agents with possible applications in the pharmaceutical, neutraceutical, and other industries, we synthesized them. Methods: The initial steps involved reacting 1,2-diphenylethan-1-one and additional amount of hydrated hydrazine in an ethanol solvent to produce the needed hydrazone, which paved the way for a two-step reaction that produced azine derivatives. Ultimately, a number of substituted aldehydes that are aromatic were heated by reflux condition, catalyzed by acetic acid with the obtained hydrazone to produce the azine derivatives in high yields. Results: These synthetic derivatives were screened for their anti-oxidant activity, compound (IIe) (IC₅₀ = 24.13 ± 0.27 µM), (IIf) (IC₅₀ = 29.11 ± 0.41 µM), and (IIg) (IC₅₀ = 31.12 ± 0.44 µM) attributed the most excellent activity, however compound (IIc) and (IId) were found as significant DPPH free radical scavenging agents with IC₅₀ values 46.21 ± 0.12 and 49.23 ± 0.54 µM, respectively while compound (IIa) and (IIb) displayed less anti-oxidant effect with IC₅₀ values 55.11 ± 0.24 and 66.21 ± 0.12 µM. Conclusions: The study shows that the azine derivatives under investigation have promising potential as synthetic antioxidants due to their significant DPPH radical scavenging action. Furthermore, compounds containing electron-donating groups exhibit antioxidant activity comparable to that of ascorbic acid, an antioxidant that occurs naturally. These findings highlight the antioxidant qualities of the synthetic azine derivatives and suggest potential applications as medical treatments for oxidative stress-related illnesses.