Sevoflurane and Desflurane Spin–Decoherence Effect on Fe(III)acetylacetonate Redox Process

This study investigates the influence of sevoflurane and desflurane on the electrochemical behavior of the Fe(III)-acetylacetonate (Fe(acac)₃) complex. Using cyclic voltammetry (CV), we demonstrate that while Fe(acac)₃ exhibits reversible redox behavior in an oxygen-free environment, the presence of dissolved oxygen renders the system irreversible, leading to the formation of a thick, reddish film on the electrode surface upon potential cycling. Notably, the addition of sevoflurane and desflurane restores the electrochemical reversibility and dramatically inhibits this film formation. Raman spectroscopy of the resulting films confirmed structural changes which are consistent with this inhibiting action. Furthermore, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis reveals that the iron in the film remains predominantly in the Fe³⁺ oxidation state even after prolonged electrochemical reduction cycles. These findings suggest that the anesthetics act by inhibiting the interaction between the Fe(acac)₃ complex and oxygen, likely through a spin-decoherence mechanism. This work highlights the critical role of anesthetics in modifying the electrochemical behavior of metal-oxygen complexes, with potential implications for sensing, electrocatalysis, and bio-oriented systems.