Solvent effects in the absorption spectra of the Ninhydrin chromophore

Visible spectra of the Ninhydrin chromophore, Ruhemann's purple, were studied in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), formamide, N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF), and pyridine, as well as in mixed aqueous-nonaqueous solvent media. Large differences in both the position of absorption maxima and extinction coefficients for the two bands in the visible spectra in the various solvent media were observed. Both the absorption maxima and the extinction coefficients of the Ninhydrin chromophore were a linear function of the composition of dimethyl sulfoxide-H₂O solvent media. The experimental evidence allows predictions of values for the two absorption maxima of Ruhemann's purple as a function of the nature of the solvent medium. In nonaqueous aprotic solvents (i.e., DMSO and DMF), the maxima should be near 605 and 420 mμ; in nonaqueous aprotic solvents capable of undergoing charge-transfer interactions (i.e., pyridine), near 550 and 420 mμ; and in nonaqueous protic solvents (i.e., formamide), near 575 and 410 mμ. The maxima in aprotic media will be displaced to about 575 mμ (higher wavelength band) and 410 mμ (lower wavelength band) on dilution with protic solvents.