Appearance of electron spin resonance signals in the interaction of dithiocarbamate-Fe(II) with nitrogen dioxide and nitrite.

Whether dithiocarbamate-Fe(II) complexes used in the electron spin resonance (ESR) studies are specific for the detection of NO was investigated. It was found that the typical ESR signals of dithiocarbamate-Fe(II)-NO spin adducts appeared in the interaction of N-methyl-D-glucaminedithiocarbamate (MGD)-, bis(hydroxyethyl) dithiocarbamate (HED)- and diethyldithiocarbamate (DED)-Fe(II) complexes with the NO-derived nitrogen oxides, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitrite ion (NO2-) in a prolonged incubation. Under the conditions of prolonged incubation, appearance of the ESR signals of the dithiocarbamate-Fe(II)-NO spin adducts may indicate the presence of not only NO but NO2 and NO2-.