Formation of hydrogen-bonded chains between a strong base with guanidine-like character and phenols with various pKa values - an FT-IR study

The complexes formed by phenols with 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-1-methyl-2H-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidine (mTBD), an N-base with guanidine-like character, were studied as a function of the pK_a of the phenols by FT-IR spectroscopy. The following phenols were used: 4-cyanophenol (4-CNPh), pentachlorophenol (PCP) and 2,6-dichloro-4-nitrophenol (DNPh). In the case of chloroform solutions of 1:1 mixtures of the phenols with MTBD the corresponding complexes are formed completely. With increasing acidity of the phenols the hydrogen bonds become increasingly asymmetrical. The OH … N ⁻O … H⁺N hydrogen bond in the 4-CNPh-MTBD complex shows large proton polarizability. In the other cases only the polar structure is realized. With increasing phenol MTBD ratio, the formation of chains with two phenol molecules is observed. With decreasing pK_a of the phenols the fluctuation is limited to the phenol-phenolate bond and finally, the phenol-protonated MTBD bond begins to dissociate. In acetonitrile solutions, N⁺H … O⁻ hydrogen bonds are observed in the case of the 1:1 mixture of 4-CNPh with MTBD. A weak continuum indicates the presence of homoconjugated phenol-phenolate bonds with large proton polarizability. In the case of 2:1 mixtures only protonated MTBD and homoconjugated phenol-phenolate bonds are observed, independent of the pK_a of the phenols. The results are discussed with regard to the proton pathway in bacteriorhodopsin.     

Critical validation of a new simpler approach to estimate aqueous pKa of drugs sparingly soluble in water

A simple linear approach to estimate the aqueous pK_a of compounds sparingly soluble in water, mainly drugs, from solely one pK_a value determined in any methanol/water mixture is evaluated. The parameters (slope and intercept) of the linear relationships are related to the solvent composition and can be easily calculated according to the acidic or basic functional group of the compound. The method has been tested using the available literature data for phenols, aliphatic carboxylic acids, benzoic acid derivatives, both ortho and non-ortho substituted, amines and imidazole derivatives. The study involves the whole range of solvent composition and about one hundred compounds which show a wide variety of aqueous pK_a, from 1.3 to 12.4. The differences between calculated and previously published aqueous pK_a values are less of 0.2 pK units. Consistent values are obtained whatever the composition of methanol/water mixture employed in the experimental measurements. The results support the usefulness of the tested method as a very simple approach to get reliable aqueous pK_a values for sparingly soluble drugs.     

基于毛细管电泳和离子迁移率经验公式测定洛伐他汀的绝对淌度和解离常数

作为一种可以预防动脉粥样硬化和冠心病的潜在药物洛伐他汀,其绝对淌度m₀和解离常数pK_a值的测定有助于其性质与应用的研究。在前期相关研究基础上,该文提出了一种基于毛细管区带电泳(CZE)和离子淌度经验公式测定洛伐他汀m₀和pK_a的新方法。首先,根据经验公式由实际淌度(m_act)、有效淌度(m_eff)和m₀之间的关系推导出m₀的计算公式。对于一元酸HA,根据之前m₀的计算公式,以氢离子的浓度为自变量,m_eff的倒数为因变量可得到一条直线。根据这条直线的斜率计算得到pK_a。为了验证该方法的可行性和可靠性,应用该方法测定了巴比妥酸、苯甲酸、苄胺、苯酚、间甲酚等有机酸碱的m₀和pK_a值。同时,对于pH值低于6的缓冲体系,采用反向毛细管电泳技术,测定其pK_a,并将测得的实验结果与理论参考值进行对比,发现两者具有较高的一致性,m₀的标准偏差小于6.0%, pK_a的标准偏差小于6.2%,且由线性回归方程的相关系数(R)可以看出测定pK_a时的线性回归直线拟合度较好,说明该文建立的新方法具有较高的可靠性。最后基于这种CZE与经验公式结合的新方法,采用二甲基亚砜(DMSO)作为电渗流标记物测定了洛伐他汀的m₀和pK_a,得到的值分别为-1.70×10^-8 m²/(V·s)和9.00。该方法适用于酸性和碱性分析物m₀和pK_a等理化参数的测定,在药物分析尤其是新药理化特性研究中具有重要意义。     

Ionic equilibria in neutral amphiprotic solvents: Structural effects on dissociation constants of several substituted phenols and mercaptopyrimidines in isopropyl alcohol

The dissociation constants of several families of acids (substituted phenols and mercaptopyrimidines) in isopropyl alcohol medium have been determined by potentiometric titration with tetrabutylammonium hydroxide. Because of ion-pair formation the incomplete dissociation of the tetrabutylammonium salt has been taken into account in the calculation of pK_a. The dissociation constants of the salts were previously measured conductometrically. The resolution of acid strength in isopropyl alcohol relative to that in water has been determined for each series of acids by plotting the pK_a values in isopropyl alcohol vs. those in water. The results show greater resolution in isopropyl alcohol than in water. The resolution of acid strength in tert-butyl alcohol relative to that in isopropyl alcohol has also been determined.     

Formation of hydrogen-bonded chains between a strong base with guanidine-like character and phenols with various pKa values - an FT-IR study

The complexes formed by phenols with 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-l-methyl-2H-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidine (mTBD), an N-base with guanidine-like character, were studied as a function of the pK_a of the phenols by FT-IR spectroscopy. The following phenols were used: 4-cyanophenol (4-CNPh), pentachlorophenol (PCP) and 2,6-dichloro-4-nitrophenol (DNPh). In the case of chloroform solutions of 1: 1 mixtures of the phenols with MTBD the corresponding complexes are formed completely. With increasing acidity of the phenols the hydrogen bonds become increasingly asymmetrical. The O … N ⁻O … H⁺N hydrogen bond in the 4-CNPh-MTBD complex shows large proton polarizability. In the other cases only the polar structure is realized. With increasing phenol MTBD ratio, the formation of chains with two phenol molecules is observed. With decreasing pK_a of the phenols the fluctuation is limited to the phenol-phenolate bond and finally, the phenol-protonated MTBD bond begins to dissociate. In acetonitrile solutions, N⁺H …O⁻ hydrogen bonds are observed in the case of the 1:1 mixture of 4-CNPh with MTBD. A weak continuum indicates the presence of homoconjugated phenol-phenolate bonds with large proton polarizability. In the case of 2:1 mixtures only protonated MTBD and homoconjugated phenol-phenolate bonds are observed, independent of the pK_a of the phenols. The results are discussed with regard to the proton pathway in bacteriorhodopsin.     

Organic photochemistry V: photochemistry of substituted Schiff''s bases—search for luminescent dyes for solar collectors

The pH dependence of the absorption and fluorescence spectra of Schiff's bases derived from 2-amino-4-phenylthiazole and aniline with substitued 2-hydroxybenzaldehydes was investigated. The pK_a values of the Schiff's bases associated with the ground state equilibria were determined spectrophotometrically. The excited state pK_a values were also estimated. Their Stokes shifts were also calculated.     

Criegee中间体CH3CHOO与H2O反应机理及酸催化效应

采用CCSD（T）//B3LYP/6-311+G（d,p）方法研究了H₂O及甲酸等6种有机酸对CH₃CHOO与H₂O加成反应的催化作用。结果表明,非催化反应存在双质子迁移和加成反应2条通道,其中加成反应为优势通道。其加成机理为H₂O中OH加到CH₃CHOO的α-C上,同时H₂O中另一个H迁移到CH₃CHOO的端O上。催化剂H₂O及有机酸以氢键复合物的形式参与反应促进了H质子转移,可降低基元反应能垒和表观活化能,且催化效应与有机酸的强度成正比。例如,当分别用H₂O（pK_a=15.7）、甲酸（pK_a=3.75）和草酸（pK_a=1.23）催化时,生成syn-HAHP的基元反应能垒由非催化的69.12 kJ·mol^-1分别降至40.78、18.88和10.61 kJ·mol^-1。非催化反应具有正的表观活化能,而所有催化反应则均具有负的表观活化能。     

Conformational dependence of serotonin theoretical pKa prediction

In the present work we used quantum mechanics calculations to predict the two pK_a’s of 5-hydrotryptamine (5-HT). Proton dissociation reaction succeeded to predict the experimental pK_a1 corresponding to ionization of the protonated amine group but failed for pK_a2 corresponding to ionization of the 5-hydroxyl group. For pK_a2, a cluster-continuum model including three water molecules in the first hydration shell around 5-hydroxyl and 5-hydroxide groups enabled us to reproduce the experimental pK_a2 value. Furthermore, we demonstrated that specific conformations of acid/base pair of 5-HT is critical to predict accurately the experimental pK_a’s of the flexible 5-HT molecule.     

Acid-base dissociation constants of 2,2'-bipyridyl in mixed protic solvents

The acid dissociation constants (K_a), base dissociation constants (K_b) and the autoprotolysis constants (K_s) for 2,2′-bipyridyl in water and in water+alcohol(methanol, ethanol, iso-propanol) mixed solvents have been determined at 25°C and an ionic strength of 0.1 mol l⁻¹, from a direct potentiometric method based on the treatment of the data of a single pH titration. It has been shown that K_a increases, whereas K_b and K_s decrease, with increasing proportion of the alcohol in the mixed solvents. Linear relations between pK_a, pK_b, pK_s and the mole fraction of the alcohol were observed in the composition range investigated. These results are discussed in terms of the properties of solvent and the interactions of the different species existing in dissociation equilibrium with solvents. It is concluded that the higher stabilization of both 2,2′-bipyridyl and its protonated form by dispersion forces and of the proton by its interaction with solvent molecules in the mixed solvents compared with that in water are largely responsible for the observed changes of pK_a with composition. On the other hand, the low stabilization of OH⁻ in the mixed solvents relative to that in water and the electrostatic effect are the main factors in determining the solvent effect on pK_b.     

Correlation between hydration and deprotonation in hexaaqua metal complexes

The hydration energy of metallic cations determined with density functional calculations using a double-numerical plus p-polarization basis set, related to the acidity constants of hexaaqua metal complexes, was investigated in the present study. From the results calculated by Vosko-Wilk-Nusair (VWN), Becke-Perdew (BP) and Becke-Lee-Yang-Parr (BLYP) density functionals, a global linear correlation with the observed acidity constants in both main group [Mg(II), Ca(II) and Al(III)] and (post-)transition group [Mn(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), Sc(III), Cr(III), Fe(III), Ga(III) and In(III)] hexaaqua metal complexes has been established:

VWN density functional: pK_a = 16.5760 + 0.0173E_hydr kcal mol⁻¹

BP density functional: pK_a = 15.7329 + 0.0182E_hydr kcal mol⁻¹

BLYP density functional: pK_a = 15.9448 + 0.0185E_hydr kcal mol⁻¹     

Fundamental properties of isoelectric buffers for capillary zone electrophoresis

Different isoelectric buffers are analysed theoretically, taking into account a fundamental parameter, i.e., the ratio between intrinsic buffering power and conductivity (R=β/λ). For a model ampholyte, the above parameter is analysed both as a function of the pI and the pK_b–pK_a values. For natural pH gradients, the variation of R, connected with approaching the isoelectric point, is evaluated. A case of oligo-protic ampholytes is also considered.     

Use of factorial experimental design for the rapid evaluation of main and interactive factors affecting linearity in calibration curves for sulfate analysis by ion chromatography

Analytical results of anion determination by suppressed ion chromatography are significantly affected by calibration curve calculation. In this paper, as expected, eluent pK_a is shown to influence calibration linearity in the range 1–20 mg/l sulfate, with A carbonate-hydrogencarbonate mixture producing a larger non-linearity than NaOH. Evidence is given for very large errors (about 30–40%) in estimating sample sulfate concentration when linear regression is used instead of a quadratic calibration curve. This study was performed following a 2⁴ run full factorial experimental design, including eluent pK_a, counterion type, solution composition and current level for background suppression as main variables.     

Cell surface acid-base properties of Escherichia coli and Bacillus brevis and variation as a function of growth phase, nitrogen source and C:N ratio

Potentiometric titration has been conducted to systematically examine the acid–base properties of the cell surfaces of Escherichia coli K-12 and Bacillus brevis as a function of growth phase, nitrogen source (ammonium or nitrate), and carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio of the growth substrate. The two bacterial species revealed four distinct proton binding sites, with pK_a values in the range of 3.08–4.05 (pK₁), 4.62–5.57 (pK₂), 6.47–7.30 (pK₃), and 9.68–10.89 (pK₄) corresponding to phosphoric/carboxylic, carboxylic, phosphoric, and hydroxyl/amine groups, respectively. Two general observations in the data are that for B. brevis the first site concentration (N₁), corresponding to phosphoric/carboxylic groups (pK₁), varied as a function of nitrogen source, while for E. coli the fourth site concentration (N₄), corresponding to hydroxyl/amine groups (pK₄), varied as a function of C:N ratio. Correspondingly, it was found that N₁ was the highest of the four site concentrations for B. brevis and N₄ was the highest for E. coli. The concentrations of the remaining sites showed little variation. Finally, comparison between the titration data and a number of cell surface compositional studies in the literature indicates one distinct difference between the two bacteria is that pK₄ of the Gram-negative E. coli can be attributed to hydroxyl groups while that of the Gram-positive B. brevis can be attributed to amine groups.     

Investigation of the properties of some furylpyridine and thienylpyridine derivatives in the gas and aqueous phases using semiempirical methods

The gas and aqueous phase geometries, heats of formation, entropies, dipole moments, proton affinities and methyl cation affinities of some furylpyridines and thienylpyridines have been studied to predict their basicity and pK_a values, using semiempirical AM1, PM3 and MNDO quantum-chemical calculations at SCF level in gas and aqueous phases, with full geometry optimisation.     

Outline of a transition-state hydrogen-bond theory

Though the H-bond is well characterized as a D–H:A three-center-four-electron interaction, the formulation of a general H-bond theory has turned out to be a rather formidable problem because of the extreme variability of the bonds formed (for instance, O–HO energies range from 0.1 to 31 kcal mol⁻¹). This paper surveys our previous contributions to the problem, including: (a) the H-bond chemical leitmotifs (CLs), showing that there are only four classes of strong H-bonds and one of moderately strong ones; (b) the PA/pK_a equalization principle, showing that the four CLs forming strong H-bonds are actually molecular devices apt to equalize the acid–base properties (PA or pK_a) of the H-bond donor and acceptor groups; (c) the driving variable of the H-bond strength, which remains so identified as the difference ΔpK_a=pK_AH(D–H)−pK_BH(A–H⁺) or, alternatively, ΔPA=PA(D⁻)−PA(A); and, in particular, (d) the transition-state H-bond theory (TSHBT), which interprets the H-bond as a stationary point along the complete proton transfer pathway going from D–HA to DH–A via the DHA transition state. TSHBT is verified in connection with a series of seven 1-(X-phenylazo)-2-naphthols, a class of compounds forming a strong intramolecular resonance-assisted H-bond (RAHB), which is switched from N–HO to NH–O by the decreasing electron-withdrawing properties of the substituent X. The system is studied in terms of: (i) variable-temperature X-ray crystallography; (ii) DFT emulation of stationary points and full PT pathways; (iii) Marcus rate-equilibrium analysis correlated with substituent LFER Hammett parameters.     

Studies on acid–base equilibria of 4-R-2,6-dimethylpyridine N-oxide systems in non-aqueous solvents

Acid–base equilibrium constants, i.e. acid dissociation, cationic homoconjugation and cationic heteroconjugation constants in 4-R-2,6-dimethylpyridine N-oxide systems (where R denotes methoxy-, methyl-, chloro- or nitro-group) in polar non-aqueous solvents: protophobic aprotic nitromethane, acetonitrile and acetone, protophilic aprotic N,N-dimethylformamide and amphiprotic methanol have been determined. The acidity constant values of protonated N-oxides in solvents studied have been found to change according to the substituent effect and to the sequence of acidity changes in water. This finding allowed to correlate the pK_a values determined in water with those determined in the solvents studied. Further, it was found that the cationic homo- and heteroconjugation constant values increased with decreasing solvent basicity and with increasing basicity of the N-oxide, and in the case of heteroconjugating systems, with increasing basicity of the the proton acceptor.     

Intramolecular hydrogen-bonding in beta adrenergic blocking agents

The acid dissociation constants for nine beta-adrenergic blocking agents have been determined. Their unusually low pK_a, values are explained as being due to the formation of an intramolecular hydrogen bond, between the terminal amino group and the β-hydroxyl group on the alkanolamine side-chain which is common to this class of drugs.     

Determination of pKa values of active pharmaceutical ingredients

The acid dissociation constant is an important physicochemical parameter of a substance, and knowledge of it is of fundamental importance in a wide range of applications and research areas. We present a critical review of published methods and approaches for the determination of acid dissociation constants, with a special emphasis on the pK_a values of active pharmaceutical ingredients.     

Surface chemistry of nanoporous carbon and the effect of pH on adsorption from aqueous phenol and 2,3,4-trichlorophenol solutions

Granular nanoporous activated carbon prepared from polyacrylonitrile (PAN) was investigated as a means of removing weak aromatic acids from aqueous solutions. This carbon is highly nanoporous, the BET surface area being 544 m²/g with V_tot=0.278 cm³/g, and V_micro=0.266 cm³/g. Aqueous treatment reduced the surface area to 364 m²/g.

Granular nanoporous carbon prepared from PAN contains O and N related surface functional groups. The surface concentration of both oxygen and nitrogen atoms was found by XPS to be 5.3%. Surface groups containing these hetero atoms are responsible for the acid–base character of this carbon in aqueous solutions. The pH_PZC of the carbon is 8.4. The microporous pore network produces a wide hysteresis loop, observed when the granular carbon was studied by continuous titration. This loop, which was found to diminish, but not to disappear completely when the particle size was reduced, is attributed to irreversible hydrolysis of surface esters and/or lactones. The surface concentration of the functional groups titrated by the equilibrium Boehm method is 449.2 μeq./g, of which 112.9 μeq./g have acidic and 336.3 μeq./g have basic character. Within the acidic species three subgroups, namely the regions pK_a<6.37, 6.37K_a<10.25 and 10.25K_a<15.74.

The acid–base behavior influences the adsorption performance of the granular carbon in aqueous solutions of weak aromatic acids, in this case phenol and 2,3,4-trichlorophenol. Both the adsorption capacity and the overall interaction parameter, K (both derived from a fit to the Langmuir equation) depend on the adsorbed species and on the pH. The former is a consequence of the different water solubilities of the solute molecules, while the latter stems from the pH sensitivity of both the surface functional groups and these weak acids. The K values show a sequence pH=3K values indicate different adsorption mechanisms. The effect of pH is more marked for 2,3,4-trichlorophenol.