ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, 1995, VOL. 67, PP. 114-123

Flow Injection Gradient Technique in Spectrophotometric Determination of Formation Constants of Micromolecule-Cyclodextrin Complexes

Maria E. Georgiou, Constantinos A. Georgiou, and Michael A. Koupparis*
Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Athens 157 71, Greece


An automated gradient flow injection (FI) spectrophotometric technique for the determination of formation constants of complexes of micromolecules with cyclodextrins (CDs) is described. Only two injections are required for the determination of the CD-micromolecule formation constant. The concentration gradient is calibrated by injecting a dye solution in a buffer carrier. A mixed CD-micromolecule solution is injected afterward into a flowing stream of buffered micromolecule solution. By the use of a mixing chamber, a great number of transient "mixed solutions" are created and their absorbance readings are used for the determination of the CD-micromolecule formation constant. Formation constants for phenolphthalein with b-CD (K = 2.4(±0.2) x 104 M-1 in carbonate buffer pH 10.5, 23.5 oC) and p-nitrophenolate with á-CD (K = 2.0(±0.2) x 103 M-1 in carbonate buffer pH 11.0,  24.5 oC) were determined on the basis of spectral changes upon complexation by CDs. Formation constants of the complexes of the buffer species CHES (K = 4.9(±0.2) x 102 M-1 in NaOH pH 10.5, 27.0 oC) and CAPS (K= 4.8(±0.5) x 102 M-1in NaOH pH 11.5, 25.0 oC) and the drug naproxen (K = 6.3(±0.5) x 102 M-1 in 0.020 M Na2CO3 pH 10.5, 25.0 oC) with b-CD were also determined by adapting the competitive spectrophotometric indicator approach to the FI gradient technique. Formation constants determined with the proposed method are in reasonable agreement with literature values. This technique utilizes the total information contained in FI peaks, requires minimal amounts of CD, and provides accurate and fast complexation information in a wide range of concentration ratios.


* Corresponding author.
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Questions and comments to author: Dr C.A. Georgiou, cag@aua.gr
Phone: +3010-5294248, fax: +3010-5294265
Chemistry Laboratory, Agricultural University of Athens, Greece