Raman spectroscopic study of antioxidant pigments from cup corals Tubastraea spp.

Chemical investigation of nonindigenous Tubastraea coccinea and T. tagusensis by Raman spectroscopy resulted in the identification of carotenoids and indolic alkaloids. Comparison of Raman data obtained for the in situ and crude extracts has shown the potential of the technique for characterizing samples which are metabolic fingerprints, by means of band analysis. Raman bands at ca. 1520, 1160, and 1005 cm(-1) assigned to ν1(C═C), ν2(C-C), and ρ3(C-CH3) modes were attributed to astaxanthin, and the band at 1665 cm(-1) could be assigned to the ν(C-N), ν(C-O), and ν(C-C) coupled mode of the iminoimidazolinone from aplysinopsin. The antioxidant activity of the crude extracts has also been demonstrated, suggesting a possible role of these classes of compounds in the studied corals.

On the azo/hydrazo equilibrium in Sudan I azo dye derivatives.

In this study, Raman, infrared, UV/vis, NMR, and single crystal X-ray diffraction spectroscopies are used to elucidate the tautomeric equilibrium of azo dyes derived from 1-phenyl-azo-2-naphthol (Sudan I). A new crystallographic structure is described for Sudan I, revealing the presence of intramolecular hydrogen bonds and supramolecular interactions, such as the unconventional C-H···O hydrogen bond type, π-stacking, and charge-dipole interactions. All of these weak intermolecular interactions play a role in the stability of the crystalline structure. Theoretical calculations are also reported for geometries, energy, and spectroscopic properties. The predicted spectra are in accordance with the experiments carried out in the solid state and in solution of dichloromethane, carbon tetrachloride, and chloroform, suggesting the hydrazo form as the preferable tautomer in gas and condensate phases for Sudan I and its derivatives.