Acidity constants of sparingly water-soluble drugs from potentiometric determinations in aqueous dimethyl sulfoxide

A brief analysis of the acid-base equilibria in pure organic solvents and/or in their aqueous mixtures is reported with the aim of determining dissociation constants of acidic drugs that are sparingly soluble in water. Among aqueous organic mixtures, aqueous Me2SO (80% w/w) presents properties particularly suitable for acid-base studies, and thermodynamically meaningful acidity constants can be obtained by a potentiometric technique, provided that the glass electrode is properly calibrated. Thermodynamic acidity constants of more than 100 acids have been potentiometrically determined at 25 degrees C in this mixed solvent, and the selected series of acids has been divided into four classes according to the nature of the acidic group (COOH, OH, SH) and the structure of the acid (aliphatic, aromatic, heterocyclic). A linear relationship between the experimental pKa values in water and pKa values in aqueous Me2SO (80% w/w) has been found within the single classes and a group of equations has been derived (the asterisk denotes pKa values in which infinite dilution in the mixed solvent is taken as a standard state). For the carboxylic acid class, the following "common" equation has been found: pKa(H2O) = -0.80 + 0.67 pKa (Me2SO; 80% w/w). As an application, pKa values in water are reported for a representative number of sparingly soluble acids. These values have been calculated by means of the "common" equation, using pKa values experimentally determined in aqueous Me2SO (80% w/w). The calculated values are in good agreement with those expected from the acid structures.