Thermodynamic Properties of Alanylpeptide Buffer Systems and Their Potential as Standards in Biological Applications

The second dissociation constants pK ₂of the NH₃ ⁺charge center of the alanylpeptides, alanylglutamine (Ala–Gln), alanylleucine (Ala–Leu), alanylglycine (Ala–Gly), and DL-alanyl–DL-methionine (DL-Ala–DL-Met) were determined at ten temperatures in the range, 5–50°C. These pK ₂values were calculated from the emf of cells containing buffer solutions of these dipeptides. A cell of the type described by Harned and Ehlers,⁽¹⁾utilizing hydrogen and silver–silver bromide electrodes was used. The thermodynamic quantities, H^o, S^o, and C_p ^owere derived from the temperature coefficients of the dissociation constants. The pK ₂values at 25°C, 8.2105 ( Ala–Gln), 8.2668 ( Ala–Leu), 8.2940 ( Ala–Gly), and 8.3054 ( DL-Ala–DL-Met). These values show that different substituent groups on the -carbon atom (which include polar and nonpolar groups), have a small effect on the dissociation of the NH₃ ⁺charge center. These compounds were also found to be suitable as buffers in the pH range(7–9). The thermodynamics of the solute–solvent interaction is interpreted in terms of the mixture model.⁽²⁾