Tautomeric ratio and prototropic equilibrium constants of tenoxicam, a 1H and 13C NMR theoretical and experimental study.

The determination of the micro-equilibrium prototropic constants is often a tough task when the tautomeric ratio favors one of the species or when the chemical exchange is not slow enough to allow the quantitative detection of the tautomeric species. There are just few experimental methods available to reveal the constants of the tautomeric micro-equilibriums; its applicability depends on the nature of the tautomeric system. A combination of experimental and quantum chemistry calculated (1)H and (13)C NMR chemical shifts is presented here to estimate the population of the species participating in the tautomeric equilibriums of the tenoxicam, an important anti-inflammatory drug. A multivariate fitting of a fraction-mol-weighted contribution model, for the NMR chemical shifts of the species in solution, was used to find the populations of the tautomers of tenoxicam. To consider and evaluate the effect of the solvent polarity on the tautomers' populations, experimental determinations were carried out in DMSO-d(6), in an equimolar DMSO-H(2)O mixture of deuterated solvents and in D(2)O. Additionally, by employing HYPNMR, it has been possible to refine the acid-base macroscopic constants of tenoxicam.

Searching for Computational Strategies to Accurately Predict pKas of Large Phenolic Derivatives.

Twenty-two reaction schemes have been tested, within the cluster-continuum model including up to seven explicit water molecules. They have been used in conjunction with nine different methods, within the density functional theory and with second-order Møller-Plesset. The quality of the pKa predictions was found to be strongly dependent on the chosen scheme, while only moderately influenced by the method of calculation. We recommend the E1 reaction scheme [HA + OH(-) (3H2O) ↔ A(-) (H2O) + 3H2O], since it yields mean unsigned errors (MUE) lower than 1 unit of pKa for most of the tested functionals. The best pKa values obtained from this reaction scheme are those involving calculations with PBE0 (MUE = 0.77), TPSS (MUE = 0.82), BHandHLYP (MUE = 0.82), and B3LYP (MUE = 0.86) functionals. This scheme has the additional advantage, compared to the proton exchange method, which also gives very small values of MUE, of being experiment independent. It should be kept in mind, however, that these recommendations are valid within the cluster-continuum model, using the polarizable continuum model in conjunction with the united atom Hartree-Fock cavity and the strategy based on thermodynamic cycles. Changes in any of these aspects of the used methodology may lead to different outcomes.

Antihypertensive and antiarrhythmic properties of a para-hydroxy[bis(ortho-morpholinylmethyl)]phenyl-1,4-DHP compound: comparison with other compounds of the same kind and relationship with logP values.

A new para-hydroxy[bis(ortho-morpholinylmethyl)]phenyl-1,4-DHP substituted compound, (4-(4-hydroxy-3,5-bis(morpholin-4-ylmethyl)phenyl)-2,6-dimethyl-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylic acid diethyl ester, LQM300), with antihypertensive and antiarrhythmic properties, has been synthesized. Four pKa values of this compound have been determined with the aid of the program SQUAD, at pseudo-physiological conditions (T = 37 degrees C and I = 0.15 M) by UV spectrophotometry and at T = 25 degrees C and I = 0.05 M by Capillary Zone Electrophoresis (CZE). The logP = 2.7 +/- 0.2 between n-octanol and water, has been estimated by UV spectrophotometry. The antihypertensive and antiarrhythmic efficacies as well as the logP values have been compared with other compounds of the same kind and related with their structure.

Determination of pKa values of tenoxicam from 1H NMR chemical shifts and of oxicams from electrophoretic mobilities (CZE) with the aid of programs SQUAD and HYPNMR.

In this work it is explained, by the first time, the application of programs SQUAD and HYPNMR to refine equilibrium constant values through the fit of electrophoretic mobilities determined by capillary zone electrophoresis experiments, due to the mathematical isomorphism of UV-vis absorptivity coefficients, NMR chemical shifts and electrophoretic mobilities as a function of pH. Then, the pK(a) values of tenoxicam in H(2)O/DMSO 1:4 (v/v) have been obtained from (1)H NMR chemical shifts, as well as of oxicams in aqueous solution from electrophoretic mobilities determined by CZE, at 25 degrees C. These values are in very good agreement with those reported by spectrophotometric and potentiometric measurements.

Deprotonation mechanism of new antihypertensive piperidinylmethylphenols: a combined experimental and theoretical study.

Four new antihypertensive piperidinylmethylphenol compounds were synthesized for their potential antihypertensive and antiarhythmic properties. The pKa values were determined experimentally, with the aid of the program SQUAD, by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) at T=298.15 K and 0.015 M ionic strength (I=0.05 M) and by UV spectrophotometry at pseudophysiological conditions (T=310.15 K and I=0.15 M), obtaining good agreement between the values determined with both techniques. A theoretical study was followed in order to propose a deprotonation mechanism for each compound.

Development of a capillary electrophoresis method for the characterization of "palo azul" (Eysenhardtia polystachya).

The tree Eysenhardtia polystachya (Ortega) Sarg. has quite a wide popular use within the traditional Mexican medicine as herbal remedy. Popular practices constitute a relevant enough basis to design optimum analytical methods in order to determine basic principles of diverse medicinal plants. This has become one of the essentials needed to characterize such products, for which it is fundamentally important to develop an efficient and reliable separation method. This work presents the results concerning the development and optimization of a novel CE method for the separation of components from water/etanol (1:1) extracts of E. polystachya, using the following conditions, considered the best obtained: phosphate buffer 10 mM, 20 kV voltage, and pH 8.1 at 214 nm and 50 mM, 12.5 kV voltage with pH 8.1 at 426 nm. The optimization takes into account the parameters associated in the resulting electropherograms, such as number of peaks, migration times, and the Deltat(m) of the neighboring peaks. Under optimal conditions the separation intended was attained within 15 and 20 min for 214 and 426 nm, respectively. The characterization method developed was applied to the analysis of diverse extracts of E. polystachya.

Experimental correlation between the pKa value of sulfonphthaleins with the nature of the substituents groups.

This work presents the results obtained from a spectrophotometry study performed on some indicators of the sulfonphtaleins like phenol red (PR), thymol blue (TB), bromothymol blue (BTB), xylenol orange (XO) and methylthymol blue (MTB). During the first stage the acidity constants of some of the indicators were determined using the data from spectrophotometry, potentiometry and with the use of the software SQUAD. These were as follows: for the equilibrium 2H+BTB<-->H(2)BTB, log beta(2)=15.069+/-0.046 and for H+BTB<-->HBTB, log beta(1)=8.311+/-0.044. For the XO and the MTB five values were calculated for each, namely, for MTB: log beta(5)=42.035, log beta(4)=38.567+/-0.058, log beta(3)=32.257+/-0.057, log beta(2)=23.785+/-0.057, and log beta(1)=12.974+/-0.045 while for XO: log beta(5)=40.120+/-0.102, log beta(4)=35.158+/-0.062, log beta(3)=29.102+/-0.053, log beta(2)=21.237+/-0.044, and log beta(1)=11.682+/-0.044. During the second stage, a study was conducted on the effect of the substituents present in the indicators to determine the effect of different functional groups on the pK(a) value corresponding to the last indicator's dissociation.

New insights on the nature of the chemical species involved during the process of dopamine deprotonation in aqueous solution: theoretical and experimental study.

Due to dopamine's chemical structure and the fact that it has three pKa values, its deprotonation process, in aqueous solution, may involve different chemical species. For instance, the first deprotonation step, from the fully protonated dopamine molecule (H3DA+) to the neutral one (H2DA), will result in zwitterionic species if a proton from one of the OH groups in the catechol ring is lost or into a neutral species if the proton is lost from the amino group. Given that the interaction of such a product with its environment will be quite different depending on its nature, it is very important, therefore, to have an accurate knowledge of which is the dopamine chemical species that results after each deprotonation step. In order to gain a better understanding of dopamine chemistry and to establish a plausible dopamine deprotonation pathway, the optimized geometries of the aforementioned species were calculated in this work by means of the density functionals theory (B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p)) in both cases: in vacuo and with solvent effect, to assess, among other theoretical criteria, the proton affinities of the different dopamine species. This permitted us to propose the following reaction pathway: [reaction in text]. Moreover, the calculations of the chemical shift (NMR-GIAO) modeling the effect of the solvent with a continuum method (PCM) was in agreement with the 13C NMR experimental spectra, which confirmed even further the proposed deprotonation pathway.

Spectrophotometric determination of acidity constants of salicylaldoxime in aqueous solution at 25 degrees C and ionic strength of 0.5 M controlled with NaCl.

The equilibrium constants of salicylaldoxime in water at 25 degrees C, 0.5 M of ionic strength with NaCl and concentration of 1x10(-4) M were determined spectrophotometrically. The spectral data were processed using SQUAD program. The salicylaldoxime in acid medium has the value of pKa1=1.224+/-0.027. In alkaline medium the salicylaldoxime has the values of pKa2=8.551+/-0.024 and pKa3=11.728+/-0.016.

Dimerization of thymol blue in solution: Theoretical evidence.

The possibility of dimerization of thymol blue was addressed by ab initio and force field calculations. In agreement with experimental information, a dimer forming symmetrical chemical environments for hydrogen bond formation was determined. This dimer is stable in vacuum and aqueous media and corresponds to the same protonated state proposed by the experiment. A comparison of the CVFF and MM3 force fields and ab initio results shows the suitability of CVFF to qualitatively describe this system.

UV-visible spectroscopic and electrochemical study of the complex formation between Fe(II) and 5-amino-1,10-phenantroline (5-Aphen) in aqueous solution.

The system Fe(II)-5-Aphen-H(2)O was studied. The spectroscopic and electrochemical results show that only one stable complex between Fe(II) and 5-Aphen forms, having a 1:3 stoichiometric ratio. The spectrophotometry study allowed determination of the formation constant of the complex (logbeta(3)=23.42+/-0.06). Also, the stability of the complex was evaluated as a function of pH; it was found that it decomposed at low pH values depending on the concentration and a pseudo-first order kinetics constant associated with k'=0.011min(-1). The results are in agreement with the electrochemical behaviour observed in the system, which indicated that at pH 1.33 the destruction of the complex [Fe(5-Aphen)3](2+) took place as a function of time; however, when the experiments were carried out at pH 6.19 the complex was stable. The thermodynamic data obtained through the use of MEDUSA allowed construction of predominance zone diagrams of the system Fe(II)-5-Aphen-H(2)O under the experimental conditions used. The thermodynamic results represented in the PZD describe the experimental behaviour reported in this work.

UV/vis, 1H, and 13C NMR spectroscopic studies to determine mangiferin pKa values.

The acid constants of mangiferin (a natural xanthonoid) in aqueous solution were determined through an UV/vis spectroscopic study employing the SQUAD program as a computational tool. A NMR study complements the pK(a) values assignment and evidences a H-bridge presence on 1-C. The chemical model used was consistent with the experimental data obtained. The pK(a) values determined with this procedure were as follows: H(4)(MGF)=H(3)(MGF)(-)+H(+), pKa1 (6-H)=6.52+/-0.06; H(3)(MGF)(-)=H(2)(MGF)(2-)+H(+), pKa2 (3-H)=7.97+/-0.06; H(2)(MGF)(2-)=H(MGF)(3-)+H(+), pKa3 (7-H)=9.44+/-0.04; H(MGF)(3-)=(MGF)(4-)+H(+), pKa4 (1-H)=12.10+/-0.01; where it has been considered mangiferin C(19)H(18)O(11) as H(4)(MGF). Mangiferin UV/vis spectral behavior, stability study in aqueous solution as well as NMR spectroscopy studies: one-dimensional (1)H,(13)C, 2D correlated (1)H/(13)C performed by (g)-HSQC and (g)-HMBC methods; are also presented. pK(a) values determination of H(4)(MGF) in aqueous solution is a necessary contribution to subsequent pharmacokinetic study, and a step towards the understanding of its biological effects.

Speciation of the new ligand di-isopropyliminodiacetoamide with Cu(II) using computational processing and graphical methods.

The importance assigned to chelating agents in diverse areas has impelled studies concerning their development as related to metal ions representing a biological concern. The synthesis of di-isopropyliminodiacetoamide (D) is presented in this work. The acidity constant obtained for D was pKa = 5.79 +/- 0.04 with the aid of program SUPERQUAD. The equilibrium constants for D with Cu(II) were obtained with the aid of program SQUAD for CuD2+ and CuD2(2)+ species giving log beta1 = 4.795 +/- 0.002 and log beta2 = 8.374 +/- 0.004, respectively.

Determination of acidity constants of curcumin in aqueous solution and apparent rate constant of its decomposition.

The stability of curcumin (H3Cur) in aqueous media is improved when the systems in which it is present are at high pH values (higher than 11.7), fitting a model describable by a pseudo-zero order with a rate constant k' for the disappearance of the Cur3- species of 1.39 (10(-9)) Mmin(-1). There were three acidity constants measured for the curcumin as follows: pKA3 = 10.51 +/- 0.01 corresponding to the equilibrium HCur2- = Cur3- + H+, a pKA2 = 9.88 +/- 0.02 corresponding to the equilibrium H2Cur- = HCur-(2) + H+. These pKA values were attributed to the hydrogen of the phenol part of the curcumin, while the pKA1 = 8.38 +/- 0.04 corresponds to the equilibrium H3Cur = H2Cur- + H+ and is attributed the acetylacetone type group. Formation of quinoid structures play an important role in the tautomeric forms of the curcumin in aqueous media, which makes the experimental values differ from the theoretically calculated ones, depending on the conditions adopted in the study.

Spectrophotometric and electrochemical determination of the formation constants of the complexes Curcumin-Fe(III)-water and Curcumin-Fe(II)-water.

The formation of complexes among the Curcumin, Fe(III) and Fe(II) was studied in aqueous media within the 5-11 pH range by means of UV-Vis spectrophotometry and cyclic voltammetry. When the reaction between the Curcumin and the ions present in basic media took place, the resulting spectra of the systems Curcumin-Fe(III) and Curcumin-Fe(II) presented a similar behaviour. The cyclic voltammograms in basic media indicated that a chemical reaction has taken place between the Curcumin and Fe(III) before that of the formation of complexes. Data processing with SQUAD permitted to calculate the formation constants of the complexes Curcumin-Fe(III), corresponding to the species FeCur (lob beta110 = 22.25 +/- 0.03) and FeCur(OH)- (log beta111 = 12.14 +/- 0.03), while for the complexes Curcumin-Fe(II) the corresponding formation constants of the species FeCur- (log beta110 = 9.20 +/- 0.04), FeHCur (log beta111 = 19.76 +/- 0.03), FeH2Cur+ (log beta112 = 28.11 +/- 0.02).

Spectroscopy study of 5-amino-1,10-phenanthroline.

Acidity constants for the 5-amino-1,10-phenanthroline (5-Aphen) were determined in aqueous media, using SQUAD and SUPERQUAD programs. Spectrophotometry and potentiometry data were fitted to the best model to enable correlation of the following acidity equilibria: 5-AphenH = 5-Aphen + H+ (-log K = 5.78 +/= 0.03) and 5-AphenH2 = 5-AphenH2 = 5-Aphen + 2H+ (-log K = 6.89 +/= 0.07). UV absorptivity coefficients obtained suggest that the first protonation takes place on the nitrogens of the heterocycle ring and the second protonation could take place on the amino group. As expected, the electrochemical evidence of the 5-Aphen species depends on the degree of protonation.

Determination of beta-D-glucose using flow injection analysis and composite-type amperometric tubular biosensors.

An amperometric tubular cell involving composite biosensors for the determination of beta-d-glucose in a flow injection analysis (FIA) system is proposed. Diverse configurations and parameters are evaluated to improve the system's response. The configuration producing less noise resulted when the biosensor was located closer to the auxiliary electrode, which also required coupling both electrodes within the system under a continuous flow regime. Further, we report on the influence of the active area of the biosensor and of the flow rate used. Statistical analyses of the data revealed two regions with a linear response range for the determination of beta-d-glucose, with a detection limit of 4.7 x 10(-4) M and in the low concentration region a sensitivity of 17.46 +/- 0.12 microAM(-1). At the beta-d-glucose concentrations studied there was no evidence of enzymatic saturation. An increment on the ionic strength of the sample and carrier passing through the analysis system decreases its sensitivity. The reproducibility of the analytical system in terms of its standard deviation was 2.9% with a 95% confidence level, having a lifetime that lasted at least 100 days. beta-d-Glucose was determined in different commercial medical glucose-containing solutions, the experimental results are in good agreement with those reported by the manufacturer.

Potentiometric determination of equilibrium constants of bases and perchlorates of protonated bases in glacial acetic acid using Superquad.

The traditional method of calculating equilibrium constants in glacial acetic acid medium was developed by Kolthoff and Bruckenstein in 1957; thenceforth, and even presently, few alternatives have been made available to undertake such studies. This paper presents the results obtained with the use of the program Superquad to assess the equilibrium constants of various bases and their protonated perchlorate salts in glacial acetic media. A model of formation equilibria is proposed and fed into the program, considering the species present during an acid-base titration. The calculations of the equilibrium constants using Superquad for pyridine and diethylamine are statistically in agreement with those reported in the literature, (for pyridine: pK(B)=5.98+/-0.02, pK( PyHClO4)=5.47+/-0.02 and for diethylamine pK(B)=5.52+/-0.04, pK( DietHClO4)=4.52+/-0.07). With the use of Superquad, the values found for the aniline were pK(B)=6.95+/-0.06 and pK( AnilHClO4)=4.89+/-0.06.