Abstract: Hesperidin was extracted from citrus peels. Hesperetin was then prepared by acid-catalyed hydrolysis reaction of hesperidin. Eighteen hesperitin Schiff base derivatives were synthesized by the condensation reaction of hesperetin with amino compounds. These compounds were characterized by UV, IR, 1H NMR, MS and elemental analysis. The scavenging effects of hesperidin, hesperitin and these Schiff base compounds on the superoxide radical(O－·2), hydroxyl radical(·OH) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical(DPPH·) and their total reduction activities were also compared. The results show that all of the Schiff bases used herein have scavenging effects on these radicals, and some hydrazones derivatives have stronger effect than hesperidin and hesperitin at the concentration of 1.0 g/L.

Key words: hesperidin, hesperitin, Schiff bases, synthesis, antioxidation