Thermodynamic dissociation constants of risedronate using spectrophotometric and potentiometric pH-titration

Risedronate inhibits bone resorption in diseases like osteoporosis, Paget’s disease, tumor bone diseases or the malfunction of phosphocalcium metabolism. The acid-base properties of risedronate in an aqueous solution have been studied in a pH range from 2 to 12 and can be described in terms of four dissociation steps: pK _a,2, pK _a,4, pK _a,5 (related to the dissociation of POH groups) and pK _a,3 related to the dissociation of protonated amino group NH₃ ⁺. The mixed dissociation constants were determined at different ionic strengths I = 0.02 to 0.20 mol dm⁻³ KCl and of 25°C and 37°C using pH-spectrophotometric and pH-potentiometric titration methods. Determination of group parameters L ₀, H _T might lead to false estimates of common parameters p K _a;therefore, the computational strategy employed is important. A comparison between the two programs ESAB and HYPERQUAD demonstrated that the ESAB program provides a better fit of potentiometric titration curve. The thermodynamic dissociation constants pK _a^T were estimated by a nonlinear regression of (pK _a, I) data and a Debye-Hückel equation at 25°C and 37°C, pK _a,2^T = 2.37(1) and 2.44(1), pK _a,3^T = 6.29(3) and 6.26(1), pK _a,4^T = 7.48(1) and 7.46(2) and pK _a,5^T = 9.31(7) and 8.70(3) at 25°C and 37°C using pH-spectroscopic data and pK _a,2^T = 2.48(3) and 2.43(1), pK _a,3^T= 6.12(2) and 6.10(2), pK _a,4^T = 7.25(2) and 7.23(1) and pK _a,5^T = 12.04(5) and 11.81(2) at 25°C and 37°C. The ascertained estimates of three dissociation constants pK _a,3, pK _a,4, pK _a,5 are in agreement with the predicted values obtained using PALLAS