Voltammetry of 6,6'-dithiodinicotinic acid on a self-assembled phospholipid monolayer prive

Abstract

This paper reports a voltammetric study of 6,6'-dithiodinicotinic acid (CPDS) across a biomimetic membrane system consisting of a monolayer of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine, deposited on mercury. Because of the low solubility of this compound and its potential decomposition in alkaline media, estimation of pK values for the carboxyl and amino groups of the pyridine ring of the CPDS entailed using the Hammett equation. UV spectra seem to confirm the presence of the dianionic form of CPDS above pH=3-4. Differential capacity and cyclic voltammetry measurements were made in order to characterize the voltammetric behavior directly on mercury and through a monolayer of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine. Estimation of the CPDS hydrophobicity degree from the partition coefficient in octanol/ water suggests no penetration of the dianion into the monolayer and supports the fact that the named dianion undergoes protonation at the phospholipid/solution interface to give a neutral specie which penetration into the phospholipid region, favored by its higher hydrophobicity, is followed by electrochemical reduction at the mercury surface.