Spectrophotometric determination of nikethamide by charge--transfer complexation with chloranilic acid.

A Spectrophotometric method is described for assay of nikethamide which was based on charge transfer complexation between it and chloranilic acid. They form a complex with stoichiometric ratio of 1:1 and showed l-max at 535 nm. Maximum complexation occurred 30 min after mixing the reactants and was stable for 12 hr. The molar absorptivity, association constant and free energy for the complex were 1.05 x 1.0(2), 4.40 x 10(-2) litre mole-1 and 1819.02 kcal respectively. Conformity to Beer's Law was within the concentration range of 1-2.5 x 10(-4), which enabled the assay of dosage forms of the drug at microquantities.

Detection of alpha-methyldopa on thin-layer plates using pi-acceptors in 1,4-dioxane.

pi-Acceptors (P-chloranil and chloranilic acid) in 1,4-dioxane were used to detect alpha-methyldopa on thin layer plates. Thin layer plates coated to a thickness of 0.25 mm with silica gel G60 were spotted with solution of alpha-methyldopa from drug formulations and pure alpha-methyldopa solution. The plates were developed in a solvent system of methanol: glacial acetic acid: water (14:5:3). The developed plates were dried and sprayed with pi-acceptors, and further were counter-sprayed with dimethylformamide (DMF). P-Chloranil gave an immediate blue green complex with alpha-methyldopa which intensified on counter-sprayed with DMF. alpha-methyldopa (reference sample and those from drug formulations) gave Rf of 0.85 and excipients from the drug formulations did not interfere with the result.