AC POLAROGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF ORGANIC PHARMACEUTICALS USING APROTIC ORGANIC-SOLVENTS .1. ALKALOIDS COLCHICINE AND RESERPINE

Very little work has been done in which aprotic organic solvents have been employed for organic pharmaceutical analysis using electrochemical methods. Despite a number of natural advantages associated with aprotic solvents, the vast majority of electroanalytical assay procedures for organic pharmaceuticals use protic aqueous or alcoholic media. The present work compares a.c. polarographic data on the alkaloids colchicine and reserpine resulting from use of aprotic organic and aqueous electrolytes. The analytical results overwhelmingly favor the use of the organic solvents employed. Tablet assays are developed for both compounds. Acetonitrile with 0.01 M tetraethylammonium perfluoroborate is the recommended electrolyte. Sensitivities are more than sufficient for single tablet assays. © 1979 Elsevier Sequoia S.A.