Polarographic study of uracil derivatives

Eighteen uracil derivatives were studied by d.c. polarography, differential-pulse (d.p.)polarography and d.p. cathodic stripping voltammetry. In a borax buffer at ca. pH 7.6, uracil, thymine and derivatives such as 5-halouracils, 5-trifluoromethyl-,5-aza-,5-acetyl-, 5-formyl- and 5-vinyl-uracil produced well-defined peaks at potentials between 0 V and ca. 160 mV vs. silver/ silver chloride (satd. KCl). The peaks are ascribed to the formation of sparingly soluble mercury salts. For the other derivatives tested (e.g., 5-nitro- and 5-ethynyl-uracil and 6-substituted uracils), the peaks were less well-defined and in some cases the polarographic curves were very complex. 2-Thiouracil produced a single peak at ca. ?400 mV, but only at pH 12.2. The shapes, heights and potentials of the peaks depended on the kind and position of the substituent on the pyrimidine ring. Rectilinear relationships of peak current vs. concentrations were found for most compounds (10^?5-10^?4 M) by d.p. polarography; d.c.polarography was not tested quantitatively. For 5-fluorouracil and 5-vinyluracil, linear calibrations were found for concentrations of 0.5–5 × 10^?7 M by d.p. cathodic stripping voltametry. Interference studies showed that small amounts of chloride and phosphate did not interfere but 5-fluorodeoxyuridine, which did not itself produce a peak, and proteins interfered seriously.     

Adsorptive stripping voltammetric measurements of trace amounts of platinum(II) and ruthenium(III) in the presence of 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol

An extremely sensitive stripping voltammetric procedure for low level measurements of platinum (II, IV) or ruthenium (III, IV) is reported. The method is based on the interfacial accumulation of the platinum (II) or ruthenium (III)-1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol complex on the surface of a hanging mercury drop electrode, followed by the reduction of the adsorbed complex during the cathodic scan. The peak potential was found to be –0.8 V vs. Ag/AgCl electrode and the reduction current of the adsorbed complex ions of platinum (II) or ruthenium (III) was measured by differential pulse cathodic stripping voltammetry. The optimum experimental conditions were: 1.5×10^–7 mol/l of 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol solution of pH 9.3, preconcentration potential of –0.2 V, accumulation time of 3 min and pulse amplitude of 50 mV with 4 mV s^–1 scan rate in the presence of ethanol-water (30% v/v) — sodium sulphate (0.5 mol/l). Linear response up to 6.4 × 10^–8 and 5.1 × 10^–8 mol/l and a relative standard deviation (at 1.2×10^–8 mol/l) of 2.4 and 1.6% (n=5) for platinum (II) and ruthenium (III) respectively were obtained. The detection limits of platinum and ruthenium were 3.2×10^–10 and 4.1×10^–10 mol/l, respectively. The electronic spectra of the Pt(II) — PAN and Ru(III) — PAN complexes were measured at pH 9.3 and the stoichiometric ratios of the complexes formed were obtained by the molar ratio method. The effects of some interfering ions on the proposed procedure were critically investigated. The method was found suitable for the sub-microdetermination of ruthenium (IV) and platinum (IV) after their reduction to ruthenium (III) and platinum (II) with sulphur dioxide in acid media. The applicability of the method for the analysis of binary mixtures of ruthenium (III) and (IV) or platinum (II) and (IV) has also been carried out successfully. The method is simple, rapid, precise, and promising for the determination of the tested metal ions at micro-molar concentration level.     

Investigation of the vanadium(III)/vanadium(II)/ N-(hydroxyethyl)ethylenediaminetriacetic acid system by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse polarography

Cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse polarography (d.p.p.) are used to study the influence of pH and metal complex concentration on the voltammetric responses of the V(III)/V(II)/ N- (hydroxyethyl)ethylenediaminetriacetic acid (HEDTA) system. The monomer-dimer equilibrium of V(III)HEDTA gives rise to typical patterns on cyclic voltammograms. The formation constant for (V(III)HEDTA)₂ is evaluated by d.p.p. The dimer-monomer concentration ratios representing the equilibrium in the bulk solution can be obtained only when the drop time of the mercury electrode is ?0.2 s. The pH-independent value of the half-wave potential for the reduction of V(III)HEDTA to V(II)HEDTA is used to evaluate the ratio of the formation constants of V(III)HEDTA and V(II)HEDTA. The suitability of V(III)HEDTA as a model complex for V(III) in ascidians (primitive marine organisms) is discussed.     

Potential cerebral perfusion agents. Synthesis and evaluation of new radioiodinated barbituric acid analogs

Two new ¹²⁵I-labeled barbituric acid analogs, 5-ethyl-5-(E-1-iodo-1-penten-5-yl)2-thiobarbituric acid ( 4 ) and 5-ethyl-5-( m -iodophenyl)barbituric acid ( 7 ), have been prepared and evaluated in rats as potential cerebral perfusion agents. Annulation of 2-ethyl-2-(E-1-iodo-1-penten-5-yl)malonate ( 3 ) with thiourea in the presence of sodium ethoxide gave the 5-ethyl-5-(E-1-iodo-1-penten-5-y1)-thiobarbituric acid ( 4 ). Diethyl 2-ethyl-2-phenyl-malonate was treated with thallium(III) trifluoroacetate followed by addition of aqueous potassium iodide to provide diethyl 2-ethyl-2-(m-iodophenyl)malonate ( 10 ). The malonic ester derivative 10 was condensed with urea in the presence of sodium hydride to give the desired 5-ethyl-5-(m-iodophenyl)barbituric acid ( 7 ), and a decarbethoxylation product, 2-(m-iodophenyl)butyric acid ( 11 ). Iodine-125-labeled 4 and 7 were synthesized in the same manner and the tissue distribution of these new agents evaluated in rats. Both [¹²⁵I] 4 and [¹²⁵I] 7 showed high brain uptake. Significant in vivo deiodination was detected with [¹²⁵I] 4 whereas [¹²⁵I] 7 was found to be stable to deiodination.     

Determination of uranium(VI) in sea water by cathodic stripping voltammetry of complexes with catechol

Polarographic (d.c.) measurements showed that complex ions of uranium(VI) with catechol adsorb on the dropping mercury electrode. This effect is used to determine uranium(VI) directly in sea water. Optimal conditions include pH 6.8, 2 × 10^?3 M catechol, and a collection potential between ?0.1 and ?0.4 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) at a hanging mercury drop electrode. The cathodic scan is made with the linear-scan or differential-pulse mode (d.p.c.s.v.). The detection limit with the d.p.c.s.v, mode is 3 × 10^?10 M after a collection period of 2.5 min. Between pH 6 and 8, the peak height increases with pH and with catechol concentration up to 5 × 10^?3 M. There is linear relationship between the collection time and the measured peak height until the drop surface becomes saturated. With a collection period of 3 min, the reduction current increases linearly with the metal concentration up to about 5 × 10^?3 M U(VI). The maximum adsorption capacity of the mercury drop is 4.4 × 10^?10 mol cm²; each complex ion then occupies 0.38 nm², equivalent to the size of about one catechol molecule. Interference by high concentrations of Fe(III) is overcome by selectively adsorbing U(VI) at a collection potential near the reduction potential of Fe(III). Organic surfactants reduce the peak height for uranium by up to 75% at unnaturally high concentrations only (4 mg l^?1 Triton X-100). Competition by high concentrations of Cu(II) for space on the surface of the drop is eliminated by addition of EDTA.     

Differential pulse polarographic determination of cephalosporins and their degradation products

The differential pulse polarography (d.p.p.) of several cephalosporins — cephalothin, cephalosporin C, cephaloridine, cephalonium, cefuroxime, cephoxazole, cephalexin, cephradine, desacetylcephalosporin C, 7-aminocephalosporanic acid and 7-aminodesacetoxy-cephalosporanic acid — and some degradation products has been studied. Cephalexin, cephradine and 7-aminodesacetoxycephalosporanic acid, which contain an unsubstituted 3-methyl group but no reducible group, do not give d.p.p. peaks at the dropping mercury electrode, whereas certain of their degradation products do. The other cephalosporins, in which the 3-methyl group is substituted, give a d.p.p. peak at about—1 V (pH 2–4). Although these peaks are near the cathodic limit under the conditions used, these cephalosporins can be determined down to about 0.1 μg ml^-1. Cephaloridine exhibits two d.p.p. peaks in this region, and can be determined. Cefuroxime, in addition to the peak at —IV, has a larger peak at —0.45 V (pH 2). Cephalonium shows a large well-defined peak at —0.72 V (pH 3) and two overlapping peaks. D.p.p. data for several degradation products including the diketopiperazines formed from cephalexin and cephradine are reported.     

Cathodic stripping voltammetry of the peptide felypressin in trace amounts

Felypressin, a peptide containing eight amino acids including cystine, is studied by cathodic stripping voltammetry (c.s.v.) at a mercury drop electrode at pH 4.6 in the concentration interval 5 × 10^?9-7 × 10^?7 M. Excess of copper(II) ions is required to obtain the c.s.v. activity. The stripping peak potential is ?0.55 to ?0.70 V vs. SCE depending on the excess of copper(II). The accumulated product is adsorbed both in its oxidized and reduced state. Interference from c.s.v.-active substances which desorb in the reduced state can be eliminated by applying a repetitive cyclic scan and evaluating the second or third scan. Lypressin and somatostatin, two other cystine-containing peptides, are also c.s.v.-active.     

Evaluation of electrochemical charge-transfer rates by using (real) laplace space analysis: Single potential-step chronoamperometry of hexacyanoferrate(III)/(II) and Europium(III)/(II) couples

The one-electron hexacyanoferrate(III)/(II) and europium(III)/(II) redox couples were evaluated by using single-pulse chronoamperometry at a planar glassy carbon electrode (and also a mercury-pool electrode for europium) to test Wijnen's method for calculating heterogeneous electron-transfer rate constants by using (real-axis) Laplace space analysis. The k⁰ values obtained for the former couple in potassium or lithium chloride supporting electrolytes agreed well with published constants obtained by diverse real-time techniques. Transfer coefficients (α⁰) obtained from (? in k^a/?η)_η=0 for LiCl electrolyte were 0.4–0.5, rather than 0.22 previously reported. The cathodic rate values calculated for europium(III) reduciton (in NaClO₄/HClO₄) on both glassy carbon and mercury agreed very well with each other and with published values obtained by d.c. polarography and faradaic impedance measurements. Owing to several factors, including its ability to utilize virtually any set of recorded i(t) data points, Wijnen's Laplace technique offers an attractive alternative to conventional single-pulse analysis in real-time.     

A polarographic study of some N-oxygenated products of N-ethyl-β-methoxy-β-(3'-trifluoromethylphenyl)-ethylamine (sk and f 40652a)

The polarographic behaviour of N-hydroxy-β-methoxy-β-(3'-trifluoromethylpbenyl)-ethylamine, N-ethyl-N-hydroxy-β-methoxy-β-(3'-trifluoromethylphenyl)ethylamine and (3-methoxy-β-(3'-trifluoromethylphenyl)acetaldoxime has been studied over the pH range 0—14. The hydroxylamines gave rise to anodic and cathodic behaviour whereas the oxime gave only a cathodic wave. The mechanism of the oxidation and reduction processes was investigated by d.c. polarography and preparative micro-coulometry. The optimum pH values for analytical purposes were 7, 8 and 4 for the two hydroxylamines and the oxime, respectively. The polarographic behaviour of a mixture of the three compounds was studied and the determination of traces of such compounds by differential pulse polarography is discussed.     

Iodimetric determination of hydrazine and hydroquinone with thallium(III) solutions

SeIenium(IV) at trace levels can be determined in hydrochloric and perchloric acid solutions by alternating current and differential pulse polarography. The use of a hanging mercury drop electrode with accumulation of elemental selenium followed by cathodic stripping gives detection limits in the range 0.1–1 p.p.b. With a dropping mercury electrode the detection limit is 8 p.p.b. The possible interferences of Te(IV), Ge(IV), Cu(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II) are discussed. The serious interference of lead(II) can be prevented by addition of EDTA.     

Trace analysis by polarography and voltammetry in pharmaceutical and environmental chemistry

Differential pulse polarography (d.p.p.), anodic and cathodic stripping voltammetry (a.s.v. and c.s.v.) and on-line electrochemical detection (e.g., HPLC-e.d.) have been extensively exploited in recent years for the determination of trace concentrations of many organic and organometallic molecules of biological significance. Such analyses can be carried out in complex matrices such as body fluids, foods, agricultural materials and aquatic matrices^1,2,3.     

Electroanalytical studies of the pesticides menazon and its hydrolysis products

An electroanalytical study based on d.c. polarography, differential pulse polarography (d.p.p.) and coulometry is described for Menazon, S-[4, 6-diamino-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)- methyl]-O,O-dimethylphosphorodithioate, and its alkaline hysdrolysis products in a (1 + 4) methanol/water medium. The responses of the different species are studied for analytical utility. Menazon itself produces two diffusion-controlled cathiodic waves or peaks at pH 4.78; the determination limit is 5.5 × 10^-7 M for the d.p. peak at about ?0.8 V vs. Ag/AgCl. The hydrolysis products obtained in 0.1 M sodium ydroxide give rise to four anodic waves. Acidification of the alkaline medium to pH 4.3 produces three well-defined waves; two cathodic and one anodic. The responses for the cathodic processes are linear with concentration over 2–2.5 orders of magnitude; the anodic wave is adsorption-controlled and provides linear response only at low concentrations. The detection limit for the hydrolysis products is 0.17 × 10^-6 M. Reaction mechanisms are proposed.     

Cathodic stripping voltammetry of 2-mercaptoethanol

The behaviour of 2-mercaptoethanol at a hanging mercury drop electrode by cathodic stripping voltammetry (c.s.v.) is studied. The stripping curves are recorded by three scanning modes: rapid-scan direct-current, differential-pulse and fundamental harmonic alternating-current polarography. Under the recommended conditions, pre-electrolysis is done at a potential of 0.0 V vs. Ag/AgCl for 3 min in a medium of pH 6.7 or 8 (Britton-Robinson buffer). Then after 1 min, stripping is done at a scan rate of 6.6 mV s^?1 preferably in the differential-pulse mode. The stripping peak at about ?0.4 V is used to determine 2-mercaptoethanol within the concentration range 3 × 10^?8/2-8 × 10^?7 mol l^?1. Calibration functions are reported; the standard additions method is preferred near the limit of detection. The interferences of several organic compounds are described.     

Chemical analysis of mixtures of some heavy metals by means of differential reaction rates of ligand substitution reactions

The simultaneous determination of some heavy metals in their mixtures is described. The method is based on the differential reaction rate of ligand substitution reactions involving ethyleneglycol bis(2-aminoethylether)N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) and 4-(2-pyridylazo)-resorcinol (PAR). Various combinations at the 10^-6M level of heavy metal ions such as manganese(II), iron(III), cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II), zinc(II), cadmium(II), mercury(II) and lead(II) can be determined photometrically.     

Cathodic stripping determination of iron at a platinum electrode modified by adsorption of adenosine-5'-monophosphate

Irreversible adsorption of adenosine-5'-monophosphate onto platinum yields an electrode surface which is readily plated by formation of a non-labile complex with iron(III) present initially in solution or formed by oxidation of iron(II). A negative potential scan subsequent to a 60-s deposition step produces a cathodic stripping peak, the height of which is proportional to the sum of the Pe(III) and Fe(II) concentrations in solution. Oxalate can be used to mask the response to Fe(III). The method is shown to be applicable to determinations of Fe(III) and Fe(II) in the concentration range lO^-8–lO^-6 mol l^-1.     

Polarography of disodium pentacyanonitrosylferrate(II): Part 2. Determination at Therapeutic Levels in Serum,Plasma, and Whole Blood

Disodium pentacyanonitrosylferrat(II) (sodium nitroprusside) is determined at therapeutic (ng ml^?1) levels in plasma, serum and blood with conventional and high-performance differential pulse polarography (d.p.p. and h.p.d.p.p.) at a dropping mercury electrode or a static mercury drop electrode. Serum or plasma (3 ml) is treated with perchloric acid containing 1 mg ml^?1 potassium hexacyanoferrate(II), centrifuged for 10 min and subjected to polarography. For spiked serum, calibration graphs are linear over the range 30–1000 ng ml^?1 sodium nitroprusside, regardless of the polarographic technique; the estimated detection limit is 15 ng ml^?1 (5 × 10^?8 M). Calculated therapeutic levels range from 100 to 1000 ng ml^?1. Similar results were obtained for spiked plasma. A similar procedure is suitable for whole blood and was used to study the in-vitro degradation of sodium nitroprusside (200 ng ml^?1) on incubation at 37°C. The in-vitro loss is rapid (t_{$\text{1}\text{2}$} ≈ 6 min) but meaningful in-vivo levels can be obtained when the blood is collected in a 0.9% sodium chloride solution at 0°C. Thiocyanate, the main metabolite of nitroprusside, and thiosulphate, which is a potential antidote for cyanide, do not interfere.     

Flow-injection methods for the determination of uracil derivatives with voltammetric detection

Flow-injection methods are described for the determination of 18 uracil derivatives and related compounds, by means of differential-pulse amperometry (d.p.a.) or differential-pulse cathodic stripping voltammetry (d.p.c.s.v.). The carrier stream is a borax/KNO₃/HNO₃ (of NaOH) solution containing 0.001% (v/v) Triton X-100. This surfactant displaces the oxygen reduction peak to such negative potentials that deaeration is unnecessary for detection of compounds having peak potentials in the range 180–70 mV (vs. Ag/AgCI) at pH 7.6. At the hanging mercury drop electrode, the uracil derivative is deposited from the flowing sample at a fixed potential more positive than the relevant peak potential and stripped under stopped-flow or slow-flow conditions. In the amperometric mode, a constant potential also more positive than the relevant peak potential is applied to the dropping mercury electrode and the resulting peak is measured under flow conditions. Linear calibration graphs were found for most of the compounds at 10^?6–10^?7 M by d.p.a, and about one order of magnitude lower by d.p.c.s.v.. The limit of determination for 5-iodouracil was 5×10^?9 M (ca. 1.2 ng ml^?1). Separation is needed for applications to blood or urine. Simple deproteination followed by high-performance liquid chromatography with a reversed-phase column proved satisfactory. Separations of various uracil derivatives, and of 5-fluorouracil, uric acid and 5-fluorodeoxyuridine, are described; spectrophotometric and amperometric detectors were used sequentially to check performance.     

Electrosorption of vitamin K1 at mercury and its determination at submicrogram levels by differential pulse voltammetry at a hanging mercury electrode

The electrochemical behaviour of vitamin K₁ has been studied in ethanolic and methanolic acetate buffers by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry (d.p.v.) at the h.m.d.e. and differential pulse polarography at the d.m.e. Increased adsorption occurs at the mercury electrode as the percentage of water is increased. The most sensitive signal was obtained by d.p.v. with acetate-buffered 60% methanolic solutions; vitamin K₁ could then be measured down to 10 ng ml^-1.     

A potentiometric study of the oxidation of cobalt(II) with gold(III) chloride in presence of 1,10 phenanthroline or 2,2'-bipyridine : A new titration of cobalt (II) and its application to nickel-base alloys

The redox reaction between cobalt(II) and gold(III) chloride in the presence of 1.10-phenanthroline or 2,2'-bipyridine was studied, and a titration of the cobalt(II) complex with a gold(III) chloride solution was developed. A 4-fold amount of 1,10-phenanthroline or 2,2'-bipyridine was necessary for rapid quantitative reaction; the permissible pH range was 1.5–5. The oxidation of the cobalt(II) complex proceeds rapidly at 40–50°C, and a direct potentiometric titration was possible. The following maximum errors were obtained: 3.3% for 0.2–1.0 mg Co, 2.0% for 1–5 mg Co, and 0.70% for 10–40 mg Co. The following ions did not interfere: Ni(II), Zn(II), Pb(II), Cd(II), Mn(II), Fe(II), Cr(III), Al(III), Th(IV), Se(IV), Ti(IV), U(VI), Mo(VI), SO^2-₄ and PO^3-₄. Even small quantities of silver(I), copper(II), palladium(II), mercury(II)and iron(III) interfered. The method was applied to the determination of high cobalt contents in high-temperature nickel-base alloys.     

Amperometric titration of calcium,strontium and barium and their mixtures in presence of large amounts of alkali metal salts

Trace amounts of alkaline earth metals are titrated with triethylenetetraaminehexaacetic acid; lead(II) is added as indicator and the current is measured by square-wave polarography. At pH 13.3, calcium, strontium and barium give a common end-point corresponding to the total content of alkaline earth ions. Copper and cadmium interfere but small concentrations of Ni, Al, Mg, Zn, Mn(II) and Fe(III) are tolerated. The alkaline earth metals can be determined in the presence of 1000-fold amounts of lithium and 10⁵- fold amounts of sodium or potassium ions.