What are the pKa values of organophosphorus compounds?

A first-principle theoretical protocol was developed, which could successfully predict the pK_a values of a number of amines and thiols in DMSO with a precision of about 1.1 pK_a unit. Using this protocol we calculated the pK_a values of diverse types of organophosphorus compounds in DMSO. The accuracy of these predicted values was estimated to be about 1.1 pK_a because phosphorus is in the same group as nitrogen and in the same period as sulfur. The theoretical predictions were also consistent with all the available experimental data. Thus, a scale of reliable pK_a values was constructed for the first time for organophosphorus. These pK_a values would be helpful to synthetic chemists who need to design the experimental conditions for handling deprotonated organophosphorus. On the basis of these pK_a values we also studied, for the first time, some interesting topics such as the substituent effects on the pK_a values of various types of organophosphorus, and the differences between the pK_a values of organophosphorus and organic amines.     

Potentiometric acid-base properties of the chloroazoxine S dyes

The pK_a of the sulfonic group in the Azoxine S dye o-, m-, and p-chloro derivatives and the parent 7-phenylazo-8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid was determined potentiometrically. The indicators were prepared, obtained in the acid form by percolation through a cation exchange resin, and titrated with NaOH. The pK_a amounts to 3.69, 4.25, 3.65, and 3.71, respectively. Interpretation of the pK_a values is given.     

Kinetics and mechanisms of the reactions of S-methyl chlorothioformate with pyridines and secondary alicyclic amines

The pyridinolysis of S-methyl chlorothioformate shows a biphasic Brønsted-type plot, in agreement with a stepwise mechanism and a change in the rate-limiting step, from formation of a zwitterionic tetrahedral intermediate (T^±) at high pK_a to its breakdown at low pK_a. The reaction of the same substrate with secondary alicyclic amines shows a linear Brønsted-type plot of slope 0.23, which is in accordance with a stepwise mechanism where formation of T^± is the rate-determining step for the whole pK_a range examined.     

Basicity of some aliphatic amines in mixed H2O?CH3CN solvents

The values of pK_a^ms (K_a^ms represents ionization constant of conjugate acid of amine base in mixed water–acetonitrile solvent) for all amines, except for charged amine bases, show a mild decrease (ca. 0.1–0.4 pK units) with the increase in CH₃CN content from 2 to ∼60% v/v. However, the pK_a^ms values at 70% v/v CH₃CN become nearly equal or slightly larger (by ≤0.7 pK units) than the corresponding pK_a^ms at 2% v/v CH₃CN for all neutral and charged amines. The values of pK_a^ms for phenol increase from 10.17 to 13.38 with the increase in the content of CH₃CN from 2 to 70% v/v in mixed aqueous solvent. Taft reaction constants, ρ*, obtained from the plots of pK_a^ms against ∑σ* for primary and secondary amines decrease by ca. 0.8 ρ* units with the increase in the CH₃CN content from 2 to 70% v/v. The values of pK_a^ms show an empirical linear relationship with the corresponding values of pK_a^w (where pK_a^w represents the pK_a obtained in aqueous solvent containing 2% v/v CH₃CN), which allows the estimation of a pK_a in mixed H₂O CH₃CN solvents from that in water. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 32: 146–152, 2000     

The coulometric titration of acids and bases in m-cresol medium

A method is described for the coulometric titration of acids and bases in the solvent m-cresol. The method is suitable for bases with pK_a values greater than 11 in m-cresol, or for acids with pK_a values below 13 in m-cresol. Amounts of 5–50 μeq of acid or base can be determined with a relative accuracy of ±1%.     

Uncertainty estimation in measurement of pKa values in nonaqueous media: A case study on basicity scale in acetonitrile medium

The difficulties in estimating uncertainty of pK_a values determined in nonaqueous media are reviewed and two different uncertainty estimation approaches are presented and applied to the pK_a values of the compounds on a previously established self-consistent spectrophotometric basicity scale in acetonitrile. One approach is based on the ISO GUM methodology (the “ISO GUM” approach) and involves careful analysis of the uncertainty sources and quantifying the respective uncertainty components. The second approach is based on the standard-deviation-like statistical parameter that has been used for characterization of the consistency of the scale (the “statistical” approach). It is demonstrated that the ISO GUM approach somewhat overestimates the uncertainty. The statistical approach is based on long-term within-laboratory statistical data and it is demonstrated that it underestimates the uncertainty. In particular it neglects the laboratory bias effects that are taken into account at least to some extent by the ISO GUM approach. Thus, together these two approaches allow to “bracket” the uncertainties of the pK_a values on the scale. The uncertainties of the pK_a values are defined in two different ways. Definition (a) includes the uncertainty of the pK_a of the reference base (anchor base of the scale) pyridine. Definition (b) excludes it. It is demonstrated that both definitions have their virtues. Definition (a) leads to the uncertainty ranges of 0.12-0.22 and 0.12-0.14 pK_a units at standard uncertainty level for different bases using the ISO GUM and statistical approach, respectively. Definition (b) leads to the uncertainty ranges of 0.04-0.19 and 0.02-0.08 pK_a units, respectively. The uncertainty of the pK_a of a given base is dependent on the quality of the measurements involved and on the distance from the reference base on the scale. The importance of the correlation between the pK_a values of bases belonging to the same scale is stressed.     

Determination of the ionization constants of natural cyclodextrins by high-resolution 1H-NMR and photon correlation spectroscopy

The purpose of this investigation has been to establish reference pK _a values in D₂O for the three natural CDs by high-resolution ¹H-NMR, according to the recent guidelines provided by the IUPAC for the determination of extreme pK _a values. The most alkaline conditions achieved in this study than in previous pH potentiometric assays have made possible to deduce the pK _a for the three acidic groups of each CD. In addition, we have studied the effects of the ionization of ??-CD on the aggregation properties of this macrocycle in H₂O by dynamic light scattering (DLS) as a function of pH. This procedure provides an indirect way of measuring the pK _a of ??-CD either by tracking the percentage of scattered light or the hydrodynamic radii of the species involved and reveals that the aggregates of ??-CD break and reduce their size progressively upon ionization of the OH^? groups in positions 2 and 3.     

Determination of acidity constants,ionic mobilities,and hydrodynamic radii of carborane-based inhibitors of carbonic anhydrases by capillary electrophoresis

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) has been applied for determination of the thermodynamic acidity constants (pK_a) of the sulfamidoalkyl and sulfonamidoalkyl groups, the actual and limiting ionic mobilities and hydrodynamic radii of important compounds, eight carborane-based inhibitors of carbonic anhydrases, which are potential new anticancer drugs. Two types of carboranes were investigated, (i) icosahedral cobalt bis(dicarbollide)(1-) ion with sulfamidoalkyl moieties, and (ii) 7,8-nido-dicarbaundecaborate with sulfonamidoalkyl side chains. First, the mixed acidity constants, pK_a^mix, of the sulfamidoalkyl and sulfonamidoalkyl groups of the above carboranes and their actual ionic mobilities were determined by nonlinear regression analysis of the pH dependences of their effective electrophoretic mobility measured by capillary electrophoresis in the pH range 8.00−12.25, at constant ionic strength (25 mM), and constant temperature (25°C). Second, the pK_a^mix were recalculated to the thermodynamic pK_as using the Debye–Hückel theory. The sulfamidoalkyl and sulfonamidoalkyl groups were found to be very weakly acidic with the pK_as in the range 10.78−11.45 depending on the type of carborane cluster and on the position and length of the alkyl chain on the carborane scaffold. These pK_as were in a good agreement with the pK_as (10.67−11.27) obtained by new program AnglerFish (freeware at https://echmet.natur.cuni.cz ), which provides thermodynamic pK_as and limiting ionic mobilities directly from the raw CE data. The absolute values of the limiting ionic mobilities of univalent and divalent carborane anions were in the range 18.3−27.8 TU (Tiselius unit, 1 × 10⁻⁹ m²/Vs), and 36.4−45.9 TU, respectively. The Stokes hydrodynamic radii of univalent and divalent carborane anions varied in the range 0.34−0.52 and 0.42−0.52 nm, respectively.     

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.     

Acidity of several polyprotic acids, amiodarone and quetiapine hemifumarate in pure methanol

Methanol is the organic solvent closest to water and able to dissolve a huge amount of organic compounds. Therefore, it is a good candidate for pK_a determination of drugs sparingly soluble in water or a basic drug presented as a salt which pK_a is close to that of its counter-acid. In this work, the acidic dissociation constants in pure methanol of the most common acids used in pharmaceutical preparations (lactic, tartaric, fumaric, maleic and citric) were determined. In addition, the pK_a values of the antipsychotic quetiapine presented as hemifumarate (Seroquel) and the very insoluble antiarrhythmic amiodarone were also determined by potentiometry. From these values, the aqueous pK_a of these drugs were estimated by means of previously established equations. Estimated values are consistent with those from literature and show the interest of methanol for drug discovery pK_a measurements.     

Influence of Water Content on Basicities in Acetonitrile

The influence of water content at impurity level (5–10,000 ppm) in acetonitrile, on the changes in relative basicity differences (ΔpK _a values) of 13 pairs of bases, was studied both experimentally and computationally (COSMO-RS). The ΔpK _a values involving smaller bases with localized charge in the cationic form were found to be more affected. A computational parameter, weighted average negative sigma (WANS), was proposed to quantify the charge delocalization in cations and succeeded in describing the observed changes of ΔpK _a. The results validate the previously published basicity scale in acetonitrile with respect to solvent dryness and give guidelines for better experimental planning.     

Acid-base chemistry of omeprazole in aqueous solutions

Omeprazole is a potent anti-acid drug. Its absorption and mode of action are closely related to its prototropic behavior. In the present study, omeprazole samples from different sources and in different forms were studied spectrophotometrically to obtain pK_a values. In the neutral to alkaline pH region, two consistent pK_a values of 7.1 and 14.7 were obtained from various samples. The assignment of these pK_a values was realized by comparison with the prototropic properties of N(1)-methylated omeprazole substituted on the nitrogen at the 1-position of the benzimidazole ring, which was found to have a pK_a of 7.5. The omeprazole pK_a of 14.7 is assigned to the dissociation of the hydrogen from the 1-position of the benzimidazole ring and the pK_a of 7.1 is assigned to the dissociation from the protonated pyridine nitrogen of omeprazole. The results presented are at variance with those of earlier work.     

Electrochemistry of 2-dimethylaminoethanethiol SAM on gold electrode: Interaction with SWCNT-poly(m-aminobenzene sulphonic acid), electric field-induced protonation–deprotonation,and surface pKa

Electrochemical behaviour of self-assembled monolayer of 2-dimethylaminoethanethiol (DMAET) on gold electrode, with and without integration with SWCNT-poly(m-aminobenzene sulphonic acid) (SWCNT-PABS) has been probed. It is proved that the so-called electric field induced protonation–deprotonation process, hitherto observed for the –COOH terminated SAMs, is also observed for the –N(H)⁺(CH₃)₂ terminated. The surface pK_a of DMAET was estimated as 7.6, smaller than its solution pK_a of 10.8. It is also shown that SWCNT-PABS is irreversibly attached to the DMAET SAM.     

Acylation of Amines with Carboxyethyl Dextran Azides

The stability and reactivity of carboxyethyl dextran azides toward amines, and also the influence exerted by the pH of the reaction medium and pK _a of the amine on the number of amide groups in acylation products were studied.     

Influence of the Length of the Alanine Spacer on the Acidic–Basic Properties of the Ac–Lys–(Ala) n –Lys–NH2 Peptides (n?=?0, 1, 2, …, 5)

By using the potentiometric titration method, we have determined the pK _a values of the two terminal lysine groups in six alanine-based peptides differing in the length of the alanine chain: Ac?CLys?CLys?CNH₂ (KK), Ac?CLys?CAla?CLys?CNH₂ (KAK), Ac?CLys?CAla?CAla?CLys?CNH₂ (KAK2), Ac?CLys?CAla?CAla?CAla?CLys?CNH₂ (KAK3), Ac?CLys?CAla?CAla?CAla?CAla?CLys?CNH₂ (KAK4), and Ac?CLys?CAla?CAla?CAla?CAla?CAla?CLys?CNH₂ (KAK5) in aqueous solution. For each compound, the model of two stepwise acid?Cbase equilibria was fitted to the potentiometric-titration data. As expected, the pK _a values of the lysine groups increase with increasing length of the alanine spacer, which means that the influence of the electrostatic field between one charged group on the other decreases with increasing length of the alanine spacer. However, for KAK3, the pK _a1 value (8.20) is unusually small and pK _a2 (11.41) is remarkably greater than pK _a1, suggesting that the two groups are close to each other and, in turn, that a chain-reversal conformation is present for this peptide. Starting with KAK3, the differences between pK _a1 and pK _a2 decrease; however, for the longest peptide (KAK5), the values of pK _a1 and pK _a2 still differ by about 1 unit, i.e., by more than the value of log₁₀ (4)?=?0.60 that is a limiting value for the pK _a difference of dicarboxylic acids with increasing methylene-spacer length. Consequently, some interactions between the two charged groups are present and, in turn, a bent shape occurs even for the longest of the peptides studied.     

Determination of pKa values of some hydroxylated benzoic acids in methanol-water binary mixtures by LC methodology and potentiometry

An accurate estimation of pK_a values in methanol-water binary mixtures is very important for several separation techniques such as liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis that use these solvent mixtures. In this study, the pK_a values of 11 polyphenolic acids have been determined in methanol-water binary mixtures (10%, 20% and 30% (v/v)) by potentiometry, liquid chromatography (LC) and LC-DAD methodology.The results show a similar trend for the pK_a values of all the studied compounds, as they increase with increasing concentration of organic modifier, which allows a linear relationship between pK_a values and mole fraction of methanol to be obtained. The pK_a values obtained in aqueous medium have been compared with those given in the literature, and also with the values predicted by the SPARC on-line pK_a calculator. The data obtained have been used to test the feasibility of an estimation of dissociation constants in a methanol-water medium from the relationship between pK_a values and the organic cosolvent fraction in the mixtures.     

Potentiometric and spectrophotometric pKa determination of water-insoluble compounds: validation study in a new cosolvent system

In this paper the validation of pK_a determination in MDM-water mixtures is presented. The MDM-water mixture is a new multicomponent cosolvent mixture (consisting of equal volumes of methanol, dioxane and acetonitrile, as organic solvents) that dissolves a wide range of poorly water-soluble compounds. The cosolvent dissociation constants (p_sK_a) of 50 chemically diverse compounds (acids, bases and ampholytes) were measured in 15-56 wt% MDM-water mixtures by potentiometric or spectrophotometric titration and the aqueous pK_a values obtained by extrapolation. Three different extrapolation procedures were compared in order to choose the best extrapolation in MDM-water mixture using a sub-set of 30 water-soluble compounds. The extrapolated results are in good agreement with pK_a values measured in aqueous medium. No significant difference was found among these extrapolation procedures thus the widely used Yasuda-Shedlovsky plot was proposed for MDM cosolvent also. Further we also present that the single point estimation based on measurement in 20%/v MDM-mixture using a general calibration equation may be suitable for rapid pK_a determination in the early phase of drug research.     

First-principle predictions of basicity of organic amines and phosphines in acetonitrile

Amines and phosphines are widely utilized as bases and basic organocatalysts in organic chemistry. Thus it is highly valuable to develop a coherent theoretical method that can accurately predict the basicity of structurally unrelated amines and phosphines in organic solvents from the first principles. Herein we developed the first ab initio protocol that could predict the pK_a value of any protonated amine or phosphine in acetonitrile through systematic benchmarking. By comparing to a variety of available experimental data (total number=98), it was determined that the precision of the optimized method in basicity prediction was as low as 1.1 pK_a unit. With the powerful new method in hand, we subsequently conducted some systematic studies about the basicity of organic amines and in particular phosphines, for which very few experimental data were available. It was found that the solvent exerted profound effects on the basicity of amines and phosphines. Accordingly we concluded that it was not valid to use gas-phase data to interpret the solution-phase basicity of amines and phosphines. Next we reported the basicity of a number of synthetically important aliphatic and aromatic amines and phosphines in acetonitrile. We also compared, for the first time, the α-substituent effects on the basicity of aliphatic amines and phosphines and the remote substituent effects on the basicity of aromatic amines and phosphines. Finally, we studied for the first time the basicity of cyclic amines and phosphines. It was found that the ring strain exerted some interesting effects on the basicity of amines and phosphines.     

Interaction between primary aliphatic amines and carboxylic acid esters in aqueous micellar solutions of cationic surfactants

The effects of cetylpyridinium bromide (CPB) on the acid-base equilibria of primary aliphatic amines and on the kinetics of reactions of the amines withp-nitrophenyl acetate (PNPA) andp-nitrophenyl caprylate (PNPC) were studied by potentiometric titration and UV spectroscopy. The values of apparent pK _a of the amines in the micellar phase, binding constants of their neutral forms, and the surface potentials of micelles were determined. Cetylpyridinium bromide accelerates the aminolysis of PNPA by factors of 3 to 8 by forming mixed micellar aggregates with the amines. The shift of pK _a values of the amines in micellar solutions is not the only factor that enhances their reactivity. The substrate specificity was found: in contrast to the reaction with PNPA, CPB accelerates (by factors of 15 to 65) or retards (by factors of 4 to 6) the aminolysis of PNPA depending on the hydrophobicity of the nucleophilic reagent. The binding constants of substrates, the rate constants in the micellar phase, and the critical concentrations of micellization were determined from the data obtained. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1333–1338, July, 1998.     

Ionization of some derivatives of benzamide, oxamide and malonamide in DMF-water mixture

The ionization of six compounds of bis-phenolic amides was studied spectrophotochemically in DMF-water mixture. The compounds showed two pK_a values in the range of 5.97-7.32 for pK_a1 and 7.61-8.44 for pK_a2. The obtained values of K_a were normalized using the distribution diagrams of the different species and found to be in the range of 5.81-7.42 for pK_a1 and 7.48-8.27 for pK_a2.