New thiosemicarbazides and 1,2,4-triazolethiones derived from 2-(ethylsulfanyl) benzohydrazide as potent antioxidants.

New thiosemicarbazide derivatives 2-6 were synthesised by reacting 2-(ethylsulfanyl)benzohydrazide with various aryl isothiocyanates. The cyclisation of compounds 2-6 under reflux conditions in a basic medium (aqueous NaOH, 4 N) yielded compounds 7-11 that contain a 1,2,4-triazole ring. All of the synthesised compounds were screened for their antioxidant activities. Compounds 2, 3, and 7 showed better radical scavenging in a 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, with IC50 values of 1.08, 0.22, and 0.74 µg/mL, respectively, compared to gallic acid (IC50, 1.2 µg/mL). Compound 3 also showed superior results in a ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay (3054 µM/100 g) compared to those of ascorbic acid (1207 µM/100 g).