Determination of pK a of benzoic acid- and p-aminobenzoic acid-modified platinum surfaces by electrochemical and contact angle measurements

Acidity constant values of benzoic acid (BA)-modified platinum electrode (Pt-BA) and p-aminobenzoic acid (pABA)-modified platinum electrode (Pt-NHBA) surfaces were determined using cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and contact angle measurements (CAM). Diazonium tetrafluoroborate salt reduction and pABA oxidation reactions were used to prepare (Pt-BA) and (Pt-NHBA) surfaces, respectively. Both surfaces exhibited pH dependence with [Fe(CN)₆]^3?/4? redox probe solutions at different pH; this allowed us to estimate the surface pK _a values. Acidity constants for Pt-BA surface were found to be pK _a (3.09 ± 0.25), (4.89 ± 0.11), and (3.91 ± 0.54) by CV, EIS, and CAM techniques, respectively, while the values for Pt-NHBA surface were pK _a (3.16 ± 0.45), (4.24 ± 0.40), and (5.64 ± 0.12). The Pt-BA surface pK _a values were lower in CV and CAM measurements relative to the bulk solution of BA, while a higher value was observed in EIS for Pt-BA surface. The pK _a values determined for Pt-NHBA surface via both CV and EIS were lower than the bulk value; however, the result obtained from CAM was one unit higher than pK _a of bulk pABA.     

蒽与苯甲酸及其衍生物之间的作用机理研究

用紫外差光谱、红外光谱法和荧光猝灭法研究了典型多环芳烃蒽与苯甲酸及其羟基取代衍生物邻羟基苯甲酸和对羟基苯甲酸之间的作用机理。实验结果表明,在此芳香羧酸与蒽之间存在定向的、特异性的作用,其作用方式受到反应物结构和环境酸度的影响。对苯甲酸和邻羟基苯甲酸而言,当pH<pKa时,二者之间以蒽离域大π电子与羧基质子之间的π-H氢键作用为主,pH>pKa时,π-π电子给体受体作用逐渐成为主要结合方式。邻位羟基的存在使得苯甲酸与蒽的作用强度明显降低。对羟基苯甲酸特殊的D-π-A型分子结构使得它在溶液中形成平面多分子聚集体,这种多分子聚集体的生成使得对羟基苯甲酸与蒽的结合方式不随酸度变化,在pH2.0~10.0的范围内均以π-π电子给体受体作用相结合,且结合强度大于苯甲酸和邻羟基苯甲酸。     

Electron-beam initiated crosslinking in poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) aqueous solution

The reactions between the OH, H and e_aq⁻ transients of water radiolysis and a linear poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) were identified by the spectral and kinetic properties of intermediates. The radical responsible for crosslink formation is the isopropyl-centered radical that forms mainly in OH radical attack on the polymer. Below pH 3 this radical undergoes reversible protonation with pK_a≈2.1. The radical decay is composed of fast and slow parts. The initial fast decay is attributed to intramolecular reactions of radicals on the same chain (loop formation), the following slow decay to competition between further intramolecular and intermolecular (H-type crosslinks) termination processes. The differences in the network formation during irradiation of aqueous monomer and polymer solutions are discussed.     

OH radical reactions with ethanolamines: formation of reducing as well as oxidizing radicals

The reaction of OH radicals with ethanolamine, diethanolamine and triethanolamine was studied at pH values below and above the pK_a values of these compounds. The rate constants were found to be lower for the protonated amines than those for their neutral forms. The OH radical reaction led to the formation of both oxidizing as well as reducing species, as observed by their reactions with methyl viologen and ascorbic acid. The oxidizing species formed by OH radical reaction at the amine site was not found to react with the parent molecules and thereby no secondary yield of reducing species was obtained as in the case of glycine (except in the case of triethanolamine at pH 9.2).     

Adsorption and dissociation equilibrium of benzoic acid on the mercury electrode

Adsorption of benzoic acid at the mercury electrode was studied in a wide pH range. The adsorption isotherms of benzoic acid from electrocapillary and capacity measurements were calculated. From the dependence of capacitance and potential of zero charge on pH the pK_el of benzoic acid was determined.     

Development and validation of HPLC method for determination of clotrimazole and its two degradation products in spray formulation

A novel simple isocratic HPLC method with UV detection for the determination of three compounds in spray solution (active component clotrimazole and two degradation products imidazole and (2-chlorophenyl)diphenylmethanol) using ibuprofen as an internal standard was developed and validated. The complications with different acido-basic properties of the analysed compounds in HPLC separation - while clotrimazole has pK_a 4.7, imidazole has pK_a 6.9 compared to relatively more acidic (2-chlorophenyl)diphenylmethanol - were finally overcome using a 3.5 μm Zorbax^® SB-Phenyl column (75 mm × 4.6 mm i.d., Agilent Technologies).The optimal mobile phase for separation of clotrimazole, degradation products imidazole and (2-chlorophenyl)diphenylmethanol and ibuprofen as internal standard consists of a mixture of acetonitrile and water (65:35, v/v) with pH* conditioned by phosphoric acid to 3.5. At a flow rate of 0.5 ml min⁻¹ and detection at 210 nm, the total time of analysis was less than 6 min.The method was applied for routine analysis (batch analysis and stability tests) in commercial spray solution.     

Raman spectroscopic study of the conformational order of octadecylsilane stationary phases: effects of electrolyte and pH

This study investigates effects of the electrolyte, of acidic and basic compounds, and of pH on the rotational and conformational order of octadecylsilane stationary phases with surface coverages of 3.09 and 6.45 mol/m². Both phases exhibit an increase in alkyl chain rotational and conformational order in 5–200 mM aqueous electrolyte solutions relative to water. These stationary phases are effectively salted-out of aqueous electrolyte solutions, thereby causing alkyl chain intermolecular interactions to increase with a concomitant increase in alkyl chain order. Although the presence of acidic and basic compounds generally has no effect on the conformational order of either stationary phase as a function of pH, the higher coverage stationary phase does exhibit pH-dependent changes in aqueous solutions of benzoic acid. At pH values below the pK_a of benzoic acid, the conformational order of this stationary phase is unchanged relative to that observed in the same pH solution in the absence of benzoic acid. In light of independent evidence that such monosubstituted aromatics interact with the octadecylsilane stationary phase under these conditions, the absence of a measurable effect on alkyl chain order for these conditions is attributed to benzoic acid self-association at the stationary phase-mobile phase interface. In contrast, at pH values above the pK_a of benzoic acid, slight disordering of the alkyl chains is observed and is attributed to repulsive interactions between retained benzoate anions.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available for this article at     

Antioxidative properties of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives and a phenylpropanoid glycoside. A pulse radiolysis study

Spectral and redox properties of the phenoxyl radicals from hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives and one selected component of phenylpropanoid glycosides, verbascoside, were studied using pulse radiolysis techniques. On the basis of the pH dependence of phenoxyl radical absorptions, the pK_a values for deprotonation of sinapic acid radical and ferulic acid radical are 4.9 and 5.2. The rate constants of one electron oxidation of those antioxidants by azide radical and bromide radical ion were determined at pH 7. The redox potentials of those antioxidants were determined as 0.59–0.71 V vs NHE at pH 7 with reference standard 4-methoxyphenol and resorcinol.     

Prediction of the separation of phenols by capillary zone electrophoresis

The effect of pH and ionic strength on the migration of neutral acids in capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) has been studied for several phenols. The mobilities of the phenols and the efficiency of the capillary have been related to the studied factors. The mobility can be related to the pH of the running buffer through the mobility of the phenolate ion, and the conditional acidity pK value of the phenol at the working ionic strength. This allows prediction of the migration of the phenol, solely from its pK_a^′ value (literature pK_a corrected for the ionic strength of the solution) and mobility of the anion, which can be easily calculated from the mobility at a basic pH value and the pK_a^′ value. Combination of the predicted mobility with the efficiency allows estimation of the resolution of the consecutive peaks obtained for a mixture of phenols. This method has been tested for two groups of phenols of environmental interest.     

Pulse radiolysis study of redox reactions of safranine T in aqueous solutions: One electron oxidation

One electron oxidation of safranine T by specific oxidizing radicals such as Cl^-₂, Tl²⁺, Tl(OH)⁺, N^.₃, Br^-₂ etc. has been studied using the nanosecond pulse radiolysis technique. Reaction of free Br^. atom has also been investigated at neutral pH. The semioxidized safranine species formed by these reactions have been shown to exist in two conjugate acid-base forms with pK_a=4.0. Their spectral and kinetic parameters have been evaluated. Using N^.₃/N^-₃ and I^-₂/2I^- as reference couples, the one electron reduction potential of the semioxidized safranine has been determined to be 1.13±0.02 V vs NHE. The absorption spectra, second order decay rate constant and the pK_a of the OH-reaction product revealed features quite different from that of the semioxidized species suggesting that the mode of OH reaction is not via electron abstraction.     

Pulse radiolysis of 3-pyridine methanol and 3-pyridine carboxaldehyde in aqueous solutions

Reactions of e_aq ^-, H-atom and OH radicals with 3-pyridine methanol (3-PM) and 3-pyridine carboxaldehyde (3-PCA) have been studied at various pHs using pulse radiolysis technique. e_aq ^- was found to be highly reactive with both 3-PM and 3-PCA (k approx. 10¹⁰ dm³ mol 1 s^-1). Semi-reduced species formed in both cases were strongly reducing in nature. In the case of 3-PM, electron addition leads to the formation of pyridinyl radicals whereas in the case of 3-PCA, PyCHOH type radicals are formed. At pH 6.8, H-atom reaction with 3-PCA also gives semi-reduced species (PyCHOH), whereas at pH 1, H-atoms add to the ring. (CH₃)₂ ^·COH radicals were found to transfer electron to 3-PCA at all the pH values tested and by making use of changes in the absorption spectra, pK _a values of the semi-reduced species were determined to be 4.5 and 10.6. OH radicals were found to undergo addition reaction with 3-PCA, whereas in the case of 3-PM they reacted by H-abstraction as well as addition reaction. By following the yield of methylviologen radical cation formed by electron transfer reaction, it was estimated that approx. 50% of OH radicals react with 3-PM by H-atom abstraction at pH 6.8, giving reducing radicals, whereas at pH 3.2, where 3-PM is in the protonated form, the same is only about 10%. At pH 13, O^-· radical anions were found to react exclusively by H-atom abstraction. Reaction of SO₄ ^-· radicals with 3-PCA was found to give a species identical to the one formed by one electron reduction of nicotinic acid at acidic pH values.     

The effect of boronic acid acidity on performance of viologen-based boronic acids in a two-component optical glucose-sensing system

A two-component saccharide sensing system using the fluorescent dye, hydroxypyrene trisulfonic acid, combined with a boronic acid functional viologen as a receptor/quencher in pH 7.4 buffer solution has been further investigated. The effect of substituents on the acidity of the boronic acid was measured. The boronic acid pK_a changed in the expected manner when electron donating or withdrawing groups were present. The glucose binding constants were dependent on pK_a, but no simple correlation was observed for the Stern-Volmer quenching constants and the fluorescence signal modulation.     

Investigation of electrochemical behavior of secondary products of capture of OH radicals by dimethyl sulfoxide molecules using laser photoemission

Electrode reactions of intermediates formed during capture of OH radicals by dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) molecules were studied using laser photoemission in aqueous buffer solutions in the pH range from acidic to basic. The results were compared with characteristics of one-electron reduction of methyl radicals generated via photoemission from methyl halides CH₃X (X = Cl, I). From these experiments, it was concluded that intermediates in these systems were identical since the primary product of capture of OH radicals by DMSO molecules, i.e., adduct (CH₃)₂SO^. (OH), was spontaneously decomposed to form ^.CH₃ with a time as low as <2 × 10^?5 s. Some anomalies were found on time-resolved voltammograms of intermediates in the pH range from weakly basic to weakly acidic and at illumination times of an electrode with UV light T _m ≤ 90–300 ms. These features were presumably caused by rather slow formation of organomercury intermediates as interaction products of the components of the system DMSO—OH radical—mercury electrode.     

A polymeric sulfur nitride, (sn)x,electrode responsive to ph and its application to the aqueous potentiometric titration of weak acids

The characteristics of polymeric sulfur nitride, (SN)_x, electrodes for the sensing of pH in aqueous acid—base systems is reported. The application of this new pH-sensor to titrations of both strong and weak acids with strong base is described. The (SN)_x. electrode has significant advantages for titrations of weak acids (pK_a ? 9) with a strong base, compared to the classical procedure with the glass electrode. Comparative titration curves and quantitative results for hydrochloric acid, perchloric acid, trifluoroacetic acid, boric acid, p-nitrophenol, resorcinol, glycine, phenol, acetic acid, benzoic acid and propanoic acid with glass electrode and (SN)_x electrode are given.     

Sonochemical oxidation of phenol and three of its intermediate products in aqueous media: Catechol,hydroquinone, and benzoquinone. Kinetic and mechanistic aspects

The sonochemical oxidation of phenol has been examined in airequilibrated aqueous media at various pH’s and at various insonation powers. Its disappearance follows zero-order kinetics at [phenol]_initial ~ 30 to 70 μM Three principal intermediate species formed at pH 3: catechol (CC), hydroquinone (HQ), and p-benzoquinone (BQ); at natural pH (5.4–5.7) only catechol and hydroquinone formed. No intermediate species were detected at pH 12 under the conditions used. The sonochemical fate of CC, HQ, and BQ was also examined at pH 3 and at natural pH’s. At pH 3, BQ is the major species formed during insonation of HQ, while HQ is produced during insonation of BQ. In both cases, an additional intermediate formed in trace quantities that is identified as hydroxy-p-benzoquinone. These same intermediate species have been identified in the heterogeneous photocatalyzed oxidation of phenol in irradiated titania suspensions. The present results confirm the important role of ’OH radicals in degradation processes. Although CO₂ is the ultimate product in heterogenous photocatalysis, irradiation of a phenolic aqueous solution by ultrasounds showed no loss of total organic carbon (TOC) after several hours, even though the aromatic substrate and the intermediates had degraded. A simple kinetic model/scheme is described to account for the events in the conversion of the substrates to products. It is concluded that the hydrophobic benzoquinone reacts with ¹OH and H¹ radicals at the hydrophobic gas bubble/liquid interface, while the hydrophilic species (phenol, CC, and HQ) react, to a large extent, with the ¹ OH radicals in the solution bulk.     

Mechanism of the hydrolysis of the sulfamate EMATE—an irreversible steroid sulfatase inhibitor

The kinetics of hydrolysis of the medicinally important sulfamate ester EMATE have been probed over a wide pH range and into moderately strong base (H_ region). Analysis of the pH/H_-rate profile, measurements of pK_as, solvent-reactivity, kinetic isotope effects and determination of activation data reveal that in the pH range from ∼1 to ∼8 an S_N2 (S) solvolytic mechanism is followed and after the pK_a of EMATE (pK_a ∼9) is passed, a second pathway showing a first-order dependence on base operates and an E1cB mechanism is supported.     

Chemical degradation of poly(2-aminoethyl methacrylate)

Poly(2-aminoethyl methacrylate) (PAMA) has a pK_a of approximately 7.6 and is chemically stable in acidic or neutral aqueous solution in its protonated form. However, chemical degradation of PAMA is known to occur in alkaline media as its primary amine groups become deprotonated (He L et al. Macromolecules 2007; 40: 4429-38). In the present work, the effect of temperature, pH and polymer concentration on the rate of PAMA degradation in dilute aqueous solution has been examined. ¹H NMR spectroscopy indicates that both elimination of 2-aminoethanol and formation of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylamide repeat units occur above pH 9; elimination is observed first and occurs to a greater extent. FT-IR studies of aqueous PAMA solutions aged at pH 12 and 50 °C confirm the presence of anionic carboxylate groups, which suggests that such elimination is simply due to ester hydrolysis. A control experiment suggests that methacrylamide formation occurs via internal rearrangement, rather than by amidation of the remaining ester groups by the eliminated 2-aminoethanol.     

Hydrogen bond interactions at the TiO2 surface: Their contribution to the pH dependent photo-catalytic degradation of p-nitrophenol

We have obtained pK_a values of p-nitrophenol–TiO₂ by measuring the adsorption equilibrium constants of p-nitrophenol (PNP) on the TiO₂ surface at different pH values. These values have been obtained from Langmuir isotherms and from a plot of 1/rate vs. 1/[PNP]_o obtained during TiO₂ catalyzed solar light photo-degradation of PNP. Two limit equilibrium constants are readily obtained depending on the solution pH: at pH 5 at which the TiO₂ surface is mainly positively charged and at pH 8 when it is negatively charged. With these and other adsorption equilibrium constants and the PNP pK_a value in solution, thermodynamic cycles are established in order to obtain the PNP pK_a when it is adsorbed on positively charged, neutral and negatively charged TiO₂ surfaces. From these pK_a values useful information on the PNP–TiO₂ interaction is readily obtained. For instance, the PNP nitro group interacts with the TiO₂ surface via a hydrogen bond, arising from the complex of water molecules with the Ti⁴⁺ ions on its surface. The weaker the hydrogen bond donor, the stronger the oxygen nitro group basicity. Therefore, pK_a changes on the phenolic hydroxyl group result from these interactions. Linear free energy correlations, maximum PNP adsorption capacity values (Q_L) and FTIR ATR, spectrum support this proposal. A k_obs vs. pH degradation profile of p-nitrophenol is also provided.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the oxidation of a heterocyclic thioamide by silver(II)-cyclam

The kinetics of the oxidation of 4,6-dimethyl-2-mercaptopyrimidine (DMP) by Ag(cyclam)²⁺ were studied in buffer solutions from pH 5.8 to 7.2 at constant ionic strength of 0.10?M?(NaClO₄). The reaction is observed to be first-order with respect to [Ag(cyclam)²⁺] and to [DMP]. However, the reaction rate is affected by the pH of the solution owing to the acid–base equilibrium of the thiol. The mechanism postulated to account for the kinetics includes an acid–base equilibrium and oxidation of thiol (RSH) and thiolate ion (RS^?) by Ag(cyclam)²⁺ to RS^· radicals which undergo rapid dimerization to form disulfide (RSSR). From the postulated mechanism and the observed kinetics a rate expression was derived, and second-order rate constants and activation parameters were calculated. The pK _a values of the acid dissociation reaction of DMP were also determined at four temperatures using spectrophotometric methods, and thermodynamic parameters calculated from the K _a values.     

Radiolytic degradation of 4-nitrophenol in aqueous solutions: Pulse and steady state radiolysis study

The radiation induced degradation of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) has been studied by gamma irradiation, while the reactivity and spectral features of the short lived transients formed by reaction with primary transient radicals at different pHs has been investigated by pulse radiolysis technique. In steady state radiolysis a dose of 4.4 k Gy is able to degrade 98% of 1×10⁻⁴ mol dm⁻³ 4-NP. 4-NP has pK_a at 7.1, above which it is present in the anionic form. At pH 5.2, ^•OH and N₃^• radicals were found to react with 4-NP with rate constants of 4.1×10⁹ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹ and 2.8×10⁸ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹, respectively. Differences in the absorption spectra of species formed in the reactions of 4-NP with ^•OH and N₃^• radicals suggested that ^•OH radicals add to the aromatic ring of 4-NP along with electron transfer reaction, whereas N₃^• radicals undergo only electron transfer reaction. At pH 9.2, rate constants for the reaction of ^•OH radicals with 4-NP was found to be higher by a factor of 2 compared to that at pH 5.2. This has been assigned to the deprotonation of 4-NP at pH 9.2.