Iodimetric determination of 2-mercaptopyrimidines

A new method for the determination of 2-mercaptopyrimidines, using their reaction with iodine in neutral and alkaline medium, is presented. The determinability range in the volumetric titration, in phosphate buffer with starch as an indicator, was found to be equal to 40-1000 mumol for 2-mercaptopyrimidine (I) and 100-2000 mumol for 2-mercapto-4-methylpyrimidine (II), and 200-2000 mumol for 4,6-dimethyl-2-mercaptopyrimidine (III). In the volumetric titration in alkaline medium, with the potentiometric end-point detection, the determinability range is 50-250 mumol for 2-mercapto-4-methylpyrimidine (II), 50-500 mumol for 4,6-dimethyl-2-mercaptopyrimidine (III), 20-250 mumol for 4,5-diamino-2,6-dimercaptopyrimidine (IV), and 20-1000 mumol for 2-thioorotic acid (V). In the coulometric titration, using the biamperometric end-point detection, 0.1-4.0 mumol of 2-mercaptopyrimidine (I) and 0.1-5.0 mumol of 2-thioorotic acid (V) were successfully determined.