Ratiometric Near-Infrared Fluorescent Probes Based on Hemicyanine Dyes Bearing Dithioacetal and Formal Residues for pH Detection in Mitochondria

Ratiometric near-infrared fluorescent probes (AH⁺ and BH⁺) have been prepared for pH determination in mitochondria by attaching dithioacetal and formal residues onto a hemicyanine dye. The reactive formyl group on probe BH⁺ allows for retention inside mitochondria as it can react with a protein primary amine residue to form an imine under slightly basic pH 8.0. Probes AH⁺ and BH⁺ display ratiometric fluorescent responses to pH changes through the protonation and deprotonaton of a hydroxy group in hemicyanine dyes with experimentally determined pKa values of 6.85 and 6.49, respectively. Calculated pK_a values from a variety of theoretical methods indicated that the SMD_BONDI method of accounting for solvent and van der Waals radii plus including a water molecule located near the site of protonation produced the closest overall agreement with the experimental values at 7.33 and 6.14 for AH⁺ and BH⁺ respectively.     

Speciation of phytate ion in aqueous solution. Alkali metal complex formation in different ionic media

The acid–base properties of phytic acid [myo-inositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakis(dihydrogen phosphate)] (H₁₂Phy; Phy^12–=phytate anion) were studied in aqueous solution by potentiometric measurements ([H⁺]-glass electrode) in lithium and potassium chloride aqueous media at different ionic strengths (0<I mol L^–13) and at t=25 °C. The protonation of phytate proved strongly dependent on both ionic medium and ionic strength. The protonation constants obtained in alkali metal chlorides are considerably lower than the corresponding ones obtained in a previous paper in tetraethylammonium iodide (Et₄NI; e.g., at I=0.5 mol L^–1, logK₃^H=11.7, 8.0, 9.1, and 9.1 in Et₄NI, LiCl, NaCl and KCl, respectively; the protonation constants in Et₄NI and NaCl were already reported), owing to the strong interactions occurring between the phytate and alkaline cations present in the background salt. We explained this in terms of complex formation between phytate and alkali metal ions. Experimental evidence allows us to consider the formation of 13 mixed proton–metal–ligand complexes, M_jH_iPhy^{(12–i–j)–}, (M⁺=Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺), with j7 and i6, in the range 2.5pH10 (some measurements, at low ionic strength, were extended to pH=11). In particular, all the species formed are negatively charged: i+j–12=–5, –6. Very high formation percentages of M⁺–phytate species are observed in all the pH ranges investigated. The stability of alkali metal complexes follows the trend Li⁺Na⁺K⁺. Some measurements were also performed at constant ionic strength (I=0.5 mol L^–1), using different mixtures of Et₄NI and alkali metal chlorides, in order to confirm the formation of hypothesized and calculated metal–proton–ligand complex species and to obtain conditional protonation constants in these multi-component ionic media.Presented at SIMEC–02, Santiago de Compostela, 2–6 June 2002     

Solvent Effect on Deprotonation Equilibria of Acids of Various Charge Types in Non-aqueous Isodielectric Mixtures of Protic Ethylene Glycol and Dipolar Aprotic N,N-Dimethylformamide at 298.15 K

Deprotonation constants of phthalic (H₂A) and biphthalic (HA⁻) acids and of mono-protonated (BH⁺) and di-protonated (BH₂²⁺) piperazine acids have been determined at 25 °C by measuring the Emf of galvanic cells comprising H⁺-sensitive glass GE(H⁺) and Ag,AgCl electrodes in non-aqueous isodielectric mixtures of protic ethylene glycol (EG) and dipolar aprotic N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). Solvent effects on deprotonation of the acids: ∂(ΔG _diss^o)=2.303RT[p(_s K _a)−p(_R K _a)], have been dissected into transfer Gibbs energies, ΔG _t^o _, of the species involved by evaluating ΔG _t^o of the uncharged phthalic acid and base piperazine (B) from the measured solubilities of the acid and base, respectively, and using ΔG _t^o of H⁺ based on the TATB reference electrolyte assumptions, as evaluated earlier. The contributions of the different species involved in the protolytic equilibria i.e., H⁺,H₂A,HA⁻,BH₂²⁺ and BH⁺ and their respective conjugate bases HA⁻,A²⁻,BH⁺ and B have been discussed in terms of their solvation behavior as guided by the ‘acid-base’, dispersion, structural and electronic characteristics of the acid-base species and of the co-solvent molecules and binary mixtures, ignoring the Born-type electrostatic interactions on the ionic species as the solvent system is quasi isodielectric.     

Solvent Effect on Protonation Constants of 5, 10, 15, 20-Tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin in Different Aqueous Solutions of Methanol and Ethanol

The protonation constants of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin, H₂tpps⁴⁻, were determined in water–ethanol and water–methanol mixed solvents, using a combination of spectrophotometric and potentiometric methods at 20 °C and 0.1 mol⋅dm⁻³ sodium perchlorate as supporting electrolyte. Two protonation constants, K ₁ and K ₂, were characterized and were analyzed in various media in terms of the Kamlet, Abboud and Taft (KAT) parameters. Single-parameter correlations of the protonation constant K ₁ versus α (hydrogen-bond donor acidity) and π ^* (dipolarity/polarizability) are poor in all solutions, but dual-parameter (α and π ^*) correlation represents a significant improvement with regard to the single- and multi-parameter models. However, the single-parameter correlation of log ₁₀ K ₂ in terms of β (hydrogen-bond acceptor basicity) shows a better result than dual- and multi-parameter correlations. Linear correlation is observed when the experimental log ₁₀ K ₁ and log ₁₀ K ₂ values are plotted versus the calculated ones when the KAT parameters are considered. To evaluate the protonation constants of H₂tpps⁴⁻, the Yasuda-Shedlovsky extrapolation is used to obtain the log ₁₀ K ₁ and log ₁₀ K ₂ values at zero percent organic solvent. Finally, the results are discussed in terms of the effect of the solvent on protonation.     

Acid-base properties of N-methyl-substituted 1,2-dihydroquinolines in the ground and excited states

Changes in the absorption and fluorescence spectra of 1,2,2,3-tetramethyl-(1), 1,2,2,4-tetramethyl-(2), 6-ethoxy-1,2,2,4-tetramethyl-(3), and 1,2,6-trimethyl-1,2-dihydroquinolines (4) were studied in aqueous solution over a wide pH range from 1.0 to 12.0. The quantum yields of fluorescence and the values of pK _a of dihydroquinolines (DHQs) under study in the ground and excited states were determined, pK _a = 4.5, 3.8, 4.5, and 4.2 for the ground state of compounds 1–4, respectively, and pK _a ∼ 1.7 for the S ₁^* state for all DHQs.     

Effect of pH and ionic strength on the interaction of humic acid with aluminium oxide

The effect of pH and neutral electrolyte on the interaction between humic acid/humate and γ-AlOOH (boehmite) was investigated. The quantitative characterization of surface charging for both partners was performed by means of potentiometric acid–base titration. The intrinsic equilibrium constants for surface charge formation were logK _a,1 ^int=6.7±0.2 and logK _a,2 ^int = 10.6±0.2 and the point of zero charge was 8.7±0.1 for aluminium oxide. The pH-dependent solubility and the speciation of dissolved aluminium was calculated (MINTEQA2). The fitted (FITEQL) pK values for dissociation of acidic groups of humic acid were pK ₁ = 3.7±0.1 and pK ₂ = 6.6±0.1 and the total acidity was 4.56 mmol g⁻¹. The pH range for the adsorption study was limited to between pH 5 and 10, where the amount of the aluminium species in the aqueous phase is negligible (less than 10⁻⁵ mol dm⁻³) and the complicating side equilibria can be neglected. Adsorption isotherms were determined at pH ∼ 5.5, ∼8.5 and ∼9.5, where the surface of adsorbent is positive, neutral and negative, respectively, and at 0.001, 0.1, 0.25 and 0.50 mol dm⁻³ NaNO₃. The isotherms are of the Langmuir type, except that measured at pH ∼ 5.5 in the presence of 0.25 and 0.5 mol dm⁻³ salt. The interaction between humic acid/humate and aluminium oxide is mainly a ligand-exchange reaction with humic macroions with changing conformation under the influence of the charged interface. With increasing ionic strength the surface complexation takes place with more and more compressed humic macroions. The contribution of Coulombic interaction of oppositely charged partners is significant at acidic pH. We suppose heterocoagulation of humic acid and aluminium oxide particles at pH ∼ 5.5 and higher salt content to explain the unusual increase in the apparent amount of humic acid adsorbed. Received: 20 July 1999 /Accepted in revised form: 20 October 1999     

Base Equilibria of Substituted Pyridines in Nitromethane

In the framework of our studies on acid=nbase equilibria in systems comprisingsubstituted pyridines and nonaqueous solvents, acid dissociation constants havebeen determined potentiometrically for a variety of cationic acids conjugatedwith pyridine and its derivatives in the polar protophobic aprotic solvent nitromethane. The potentiometric method enabled a check as to whether and to whatextent cationic homoconjugation equilibria of the BH⁺/B type, as well as cationicheteroconjugation equilibria in BH⁺/B₁ systems without proton transfer, are setup in nitromethane. The equilibrium constants were compared with thosedetermined in water and two other polar protophobic aprotic solvents, propylenecarbonate and acetonitrile. The pK _a values of acids conjugate to the N-bases innitromethane fall in the pK _a range of 5.84 to 17.67, i.e., 6 to 7 pK _a units, onaverage, higher than in water, 1 to 2 units higher than in propylene carbonate,and less than 1 unit lower than in acetonitrile. This means that the basicity ofthe pyridine derivatives increases on going from propylene carbonate throughnitromethane to acetonitrile. Further, it was found that the sequence of the pK _achanges of the protonated amines was consistent in all three media, thus providingthe basis for establishing linear correlations among these values. In the majorityof the BH⁺/B systems in nitromethane, cationic homoconjugation equilibria havebeen established. The cationic homoconjugation constants, log K _BHB+, arerelatively low, falling in the range 1.60–2.89. A comparison of the homoconjugationconstants in nitromethane with those in propylene carbonate and acetonitrile showsthat nitromethane is a more favorable solvent for the cationic homoconjugationequilibria than the other two solvents. Moreover, results of the potentiometricmeasurements revealed that cationic heteroconjugation equilibria were not presentin the majority of the BH⁺/B₁ systems in nitromethane. The heteroconjugationconstant could be determined in one system only, with logdiK _BHB1 + = 2.56.     

Tunable phase transition behaviors of pH-sensitive polyaspartamides having various cationic pendant groups

New pH-sensitive graft copolymers based on poly(2-hydroxyethyl aspartamide) (PHEA) were prepared by attaching various cationic monomers, such as 4-(aminomethyl)pyridine (PY), 1-(3-aminopropyl)imidazole (IM), and N-(3-aminopropyl)dibuthylamine (BU), as pH-sensitive units and octadecylamine (C₁₈) as a hydrophobic segment on poly(succinimide). Phase transition of each copolymer solution occurred at a vicinity of the pK _a value of the cationic groups, and their insoluble pH ranges were broadened as the feed amount of pH-sensitive moieties was increased. Depending on the cationic grafts having different pK _a values, the pH ranges where the copolymer became insoluble could be tuned. Copolymers PHEA-g-C₁₈-PY, PHEA-g-C₁₈-IM, and PHEA-g-C₁₈-BU exhibited phase separations in solutions at pH ranges of 4∼6, 6∼8, and 9∼12, respectively. These polymers have the unique feature of their pH sensitivity profiles being identified to three regimes. Under low pH conditions (below pK _a ), the polymer solution is transparent. At medium pH (around pK _a ), polymer precipitation occurred in solution. At pH > pK _a , the polymer solution is gradually dissolved again.     

Spectrophotometric determination of basicities of substituted acetylbiphenyls and biphenyl carboxylic acids

The basicities of several 2′-, 3′-, and 4′-substituted 4-acetylbiphenyls and biphenyl-4-carboxylic acids have been determined spectrophotometrically in sulphuric acid media at 30°C. The pK_BH ⁺ of 3′- and 4′-substituted compounds are correlated by the Hammett equation. The 4′-methoxy group deviates considerably in the Hammett plot. This is attributed to its conjugative interaction with the carbonyl or carboxyl group aided by protonation. Good correlation exists between pK_BH ⁺ and σ⁺. The basicities of 2′-substituted 4-acetylbiphenyls and biphenyl-4-carboxylic acids reaffirm the existence of π-electron steric effect of 2′substituents.     

Combination of <Superscript>13</Superscript>C/<Superscript>113</Superscript>Cd NMR,potentiometry, and voltammetry in characterizing the interactions between Cd and two models of the main components of soil organic matter

This work allowed the characterization of the Cd-binding sites of two compounds taken as models for exudates, the main components of soil organic matter (SOM). The studied compounds were exopolysaccharides (EPS), specifically exudates of roots (polygalacturonic acid) and of soil bacteria (Phytagel). Potentiometric acid–base titrations were performed and fitting of the obtained results indicated the presence of two main classes of acidic sites, defined by their pK _a values, for both EPS but of a different nature when comparing the two compounds. The two studied exopolysaccharides presented different acidic/basic site ratios: 0.15 for Phytagel and 0.76 for polygalacturonic acid. Spectroscopic techniques (¹³C/¹¹³Cd NMR, FTIR) distinguished different Cd surroundings for each of the studied EPS, which is in agreement with the titration results. Furthermore, these analyses indicated the presence of –COOH and –OH groups in various proportions for each exopolysaccharide, which should be linked to their reactivity towards cadmium. Cadmium titrations (voltammetric measurements) also differentiated different binding sites for each compound and allowed the determination of the strength of the Cd-binding site of the EPS. Fitting of the results of such voltammetric measurements was performed using PROSECE (Programme d’Optimisation et de Speciation Chimique dans l’Environnement), a software coupling chemical speciation calculation and binding parameter optimization. The fitting, taking into account the Cd²⁺/H⁺ competition towards exopolysaccharides, confirmed the acid-base titrations and spectroscopic analyses by revealing two classes of binding sites: (i) one defined as a strong complexant regarding its Cd²⁺–EPS association (logK = 9–10.4) and with basic functionality regarding H⁺–EPS association (pK _a = 11.3–11.7), and (ii) one defined as a weak complexant (logK = 7.1–8.2) and with acidic functionality (pK _a = 3.7–4.0). Therefore the combination of spectroscopic analyses, voltammetry, and fitting allowed the precise characterization of the binding sites of the studied exopolysaccharides, mimicking the main SOM components. Furthermore, the binding parameters obtained by fitting can be used in biogeochemical models to better define the role of key SOM compounds like exudates of roots and of soil bacteria on trace metal transport or assimilation.     

Insight into the degradation of a manganese(III)-citrate complex in aqueous solutions

Kinetics of the electron transfer process between citrates and manganese(III) ions has been studied in acidic aqueous solutions. Acidification of the reaction mixture increased the reaction rate. The reaction is dependent on pH because there are two main protolytic forms of the Mn(III)-citrate complex in the studied pH range (4.5–6.5). Reduction potentials of Mn(III)/Mn(II) system in acidic and basic solutions as well as protolytic equilibria play a crucial role in understanding the pH profile of the studied system. The rate constants for Mn(III)citH and Mn(III)citH₂⁺ species degradation processes are presented (citH³⁻ and citH₂²⁻ are trivalent and divalent anions of citric acid, citH₄, respectively). Protolytic constant (expressed as pK′_a) for Mn(III)citH protonation is estimated and discussed.     

Nanosized zirconium diboride: Synthesis and properties

The thermolysis of Zr(BH₄)₄ vapor at 573 and 623 K in a vacuum of 1.33 × 10⁻¹ Pa was studied. Nanosized zirconium diboride was produced as an X-ray amorphous powder and a crystalline film. According to electron microscopy data, the X-ray amorphous zirconium diboride powder obtained at 573 or 623 K consists of spherical particles 30–40 nm in diameter, which is in quite a good agreement with the equivalent particle diameter (∼35 nm) calculated from the specific surface area of ZrB₂. After annealing at 1273 K, the X-ray amorphous zirconium diboride powder crystallizes into a hexagonal lattice with the unit cell parameters a = 0.3159 nm and c = 0.3527 nm. The coherent scattering length D _hkl is ∼27 nm. The zirconium diboride film produced at 573 or 623 K crystallizes into a hexagonal lattice with the unit cell parameters a = 0.3163−0.3168 nm and c = 0.3524−0.3531 nm. The coherent scattering length D _hkl is ∼14 nm. The thickness of the ZrB₂ film on quartz, glass ceramics, and stainless steel is 5–7 μm. The microhardness of the film on a stainless steel substrate under a load of 20 g is 17.8 GPa.     

Acridinium Ion Ionization at Elevated Temperatures and Pressures to 200 °C and 2000 bar

The temperature and pressure dependences of pK for acridine ion ionization were determined up to 200 °C and 2000 bar. The UV-Vis measurements at high temperatures and pressures were conducted in flow-through spectrophotometric cells. Two independent series of experiment were performed: one in a Ti–Pd cell with silica quartz windows for measurements in the ultraviolet region, and another in a Ti grade 5 cell with sapphire windows for use at higher pressures, which permitted measurements in the visible region. Combined chemometric and thermodynamic analyses of the UV-Vis spectrophotometric data were used to extract the ionization constants as well as the changes in molar volume ΔV° for acridine protonation as functions of temperature and pressure. Values of pK decrease from 5.52 to 3.74 with increasing temperature from 25 to 200 °C at saturated water-vapor pressure. The pressure dependence of acridinium ion ionization is small (e.g., pK=5.5 at 25 °C and 2000 bar) and is characterized by positive ΔV°≤1.2 cm³⋅mol⁻¹, which is not surprising for this type of isocoulombic reaction involving a large molecule.     

Determination of protonation constants of some fluorinated polyamines by means of <Superscript>13</Superscript>C NMR data processed by the new computer program HypNMR2000. Protonation sequence in polyamines

The pK_a values of 6-fluoro-4,8-diazadodecane-1,12-diamine (6-fluorospermine) (1), 6,6-difluoro-4,8-diazadodecane-1,12-diamine (6,6-difluorospermine) (2), 6-fluoro-4-azaoctane-1,8-diamine (6-fluorospermidine) (3) and 6,6-difluoro-4-azaoctane-1,8-diamine (6,6-difluorospermidine) (4) in D₂O solution have been determined at 40 °C from ¹³C NMR chemical shifts data using the new computer program HypNMR2000. The enthalpies of protonation of compounds 1–4 and the parent amines spermine (5) and spermidine (6) have been determined from microcalorimetric titration data. The values of H° were used to derive basicity constants relative to 25 °C. The NMR data have been analysed by two different methods to obtain information on the protonation sequence in the polyamines 1–5. The protonation sequence for spermine is related to its biological activity.Abbreviations PKC Protein kinase C - PS Phosphatidylserine - VB Microsoft Visual BasicPresented at the Spanish-Italian Congress on the Thermodynamics of Metal Complexes, Santiago de Compostela, Spain, June 2–6, 2002     

Synthesis and Some Properties of 1,2-Dinitroguanidine

1,2-Dinitroguanidine is a product of nitroguanidine nitration with nitric acid and its mixtures with sulfuric acid and oleum. It is a diacid (pK _a 1.11, 11.5) and at the same time a weak base undergoing protonation at the nitrogen of the amino group (pK _BH+ -5.81). The decomposition kinetics of 1,2-dinitroguanidine was studied by spectrophotometric method both in acid and alkaline media, and the mechanism of the process was assumed. In the media of high acidity (H_o > -8) the 1,2-dinitroguanidine suffers reversible denitration into nitroguanidine. At lower acidity its conjugate acid or molecular form undergoes hydrolysis yielding nitrourea. Monoanion of 1,2-dinitroguanidine in a weak acid or in an alkali is hydrolyzed into N,N'-dinitrourea. The reaction of 1,2-dinitroguanidine with alkali in alcohol provides its salts, with nitrogen-containing bases form both salts and derivatives of 2-nitroguanidine. The treatment of 1,2-dinitroguanidine with haloalkanes results in its N-alkylated products.     

Electrochemical solid phase micro-extraction and determination of salicylic acid from blood samples by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry

The electrochemical solid phase micro-extraction of salicylic acid (SA) at graphite-epoxy-composed solid electrode surface was studied by cyclic voltammetry. SA was oxidized electrochemically in pH 12.0 aqueous solution at 0.70 V (vs. saturated calomel electrode) for 7 s. The oxidized product shows two surface-controlled reversible redox couples with two proton transferred in the pH range of 1.0∼6.0 and one proton transferred in the pH range of 10.0∼13.0 and is extracted on the electrode surface with a kinetic Boltzman function of i _p = 3.473–4.499/[1 + e^{(t − 7.332)/6.123}] (χ ² = 0.00285 μA). The anodic peak current of the extracted specie in differential pulse voltammograms is proportional to the concentration of SA with regression equation of i _p = −5.913 + 0.4843 c (R = 0.995, SD = 1.6 μA) in the range of 5.00∼200 μM. The detection limit is 5.00 μM with RSD of 1.59% at 60 μM. The method is sensitive and convenient and was applied to the detection of SA in mouse blood samples with satisfactory results.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the acid-catalysed hydrolysis of the carbonatotetraimidazolecobalt(III) ion

Summary The kinetics of the acid-catalysed hydrolysis of the [(imidazole)₄Co(CO₃)]⁺ ion was found to follow the rate law -dln[complex]/dt = k ₁ K[H⁺](1 + K[H ⁺]) in the 25–45 °C range, [H⁺] 0.05–1.0 m range and I = 1.0m. The reaction sequence consists of a rapid protonation equilibrium followed by the one-end dissociation of the coordinated carbonato ligand (rate-determining step) and subsequent fast release of the monodentate carbonato ligand. The rate parameter values, k ₁ and ITK, at 25 °C are 6.48 × 10⁻³s⁻¹ and 0.31m ⁻¹, respectively, and activation parameters for k ₁ are ΔH ₁ ^≠ = 86.1 ± 1.2kJ mol⁻¹ and ΔS ₁ ^≠ = 2.1 ± 6.3 J mol⁻¹K⁻¹. The hydrolysis rate increases with increase in ionic strength. The different ways of dealing with the data fit are presented and discussed. The kinetic results are compared with those for the similar cobalt(III) complexes.     

Examining the impact of ancillary ligand basicity on copper(I)–ethylene binding interactions: a DFT study

A theoretical investigation at the density functional theory level (B3LYP) has been conducted to elucidate the impact of ligand basicity on the binding interactions between ethylene and copper(I) ions in [Cu(η ²-C₂H₄)]⁺ and a series of [Cu(L)(η ²-C₂H₄)]⁺ complexes, where L = substituted 1,10-phenanthroline ligands. Molecular orbital analysis shows that binding in [Cu(η ²-C₂H₄)]⁺ primarily involves interaction between the filled ethylene π-bonding orbital and the empty Cu(4s) and Cu(4p) orbitals, with less interaction observed between the low energy Cu(3d) orbitals and the empty ethylene π*-orbital. The presence of electron-donating ligands in the [Cu(L)(η ²-C₂H₄)]⁺ complexes destabilizes the predominantly Cu(3d)-character filled frontier orbital of the [Cu(L)]⁺ fragment, promoting better overlap with the vacant ethylene π*-orbital and increasing Cu → ethylene π-backbonding. Moreover, the energy of the filled [Cu(L)]⁺ frontier orbital and mixing with the ethylene π*-orbital increase with increasing pK _a of the 1,10-phenanthroline ligand. Natural bond orbital analysis reveals an increase in Cu → ethylene electron donation with addition of ligands to [Cu(η ²-C₂H₄)]⁺ and an increase in backbonding with increasing ligand pK _a in the [Cu(L)(η ²-C₂H₄)]⁺ complexes. Energy decomposition analysis (ALMO-EDA) calculations show that, while Cu → ethylene charge transfer (CT) increases with more basic ligands, ethylene → Cu CT and non-CT frozen density and polarization effects become less favorable, yielding little change in copper(I)–ethylene binding energy with ligand pK _a. ALMO-EDA calculations on related [Cu(L)(NCCH₃)]⁺ complexes and calculated free energy changes for the displacement of acetonitrile by ethylene reveal a direct correlation between increasing ligand pK _a and the favorability of ethylene binding, consistent with experimental observations.     

Computation of the influence of chemical substitution on the pK a of pyridine using semiempirical and ab initio methods

The physical properties of chemicals are strongly influenced by their protonation state, affecting, for example, solubility or hydrogen-bonding characteristics. The ability to accurately calculate protonation states in the form of pK _as is, therefore, desirable. Calculations of pK _a changes in a series of substituted pyridines are presented. Computations were performed using both ab initio and semiempirical approaches, including free energies of solvation via reaction-field models. The selected methods are readily accessible with respect to both software and computational feasibility. Comparison of calculated and experimental pK _as shows the experimental trends to be reasonably reproduced by the computations with root-mean-square differences ranging from 1.22 to 4.14 pK _a units. Of the theoretical methods applied the best agreement occurred using the second-order M?ller–Plesset/6-31G(d)/isodensity surface polarized continuum solvation model, while the more computationally accessible Austin model 1/Solvent model 2 (SM2) approach yielded results similar to the ab initio methods. Analysis of component contributions to the calculated pK _as indicates the largest source of error to be associated with the free energies of solvation of the protonated species followed by the gas-phase protonation energies; while the latter may be improved via the use of higher levels of theory, enhancements in the former require improvements in the solvation models. The inclusion of alternate minimum in the computation of pK _as is also indicated to contribute to differences between experimental and calculated pK _a values. Received: 27 April 1999 / Accepted: 27 July 1999 / Published online: 2 November 1999