Method's of Drug Characterisation

The first 200 words of this essay...

Experiment 6 - Methods of Drug Characterization

Aims

1. To gain experience of the analytical methods used for drug characterization

Objectives

1. To gain experience in melting point determination, thin layer chromatography and UV

spectroscopy

2. Application of the methods to identify an unknown substance

Introduction

The 2 most basic analytical techniques for identification of organic compounds are melting point determination and thin layer chromatography. Identification of compounds relied upon melting point determination before the modern analytical techniques of nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared and UV spectroscopy.

Although thin layer chromatography still plays an important role in organic analysis. A solution of the unknown is spotted onto the silica coated plate about 1cm from the bottom and dried; it is then placed vertically into a tank with a suitable solvent inside. The solvent moves up the plate by capillary action and resolves the sample into discrete spots. The plate is removed and dried and the spots are viewed under UV or by treating it chemically with developing agent.

For each component of the sample an Rf value can be calculated:

Rf = distance moved by solute/distance moved by solvent