Spectrophotometric investigation of protolytic equilibria of rutin

The dissociation constants of rutin in aqueous-methanol medium (6040 v/v), the values of which are pK₁=–2.92±0.06, pK₂=6.72±0.11, pK₃=8.26±0.05, pK₄=12.57±0.09, were estimated by using the spectrophotometric method. They were ascribed to the dissociation of protonated oxygen atom at position 1 and then to hydroxyl groups at positions 7, 4', 5, respectively. Resonance structures of H₃L^– ion of rutin were suggested and, by using them, the greater dissociability of the hydroxyl group at position 7 in relation to the –OH group at position 4' was explained.