March 28, 2024, 11:23:31 AM
Forum Rules: Read This Before Posting


Topic: Controlling molecular structure  (Read 2181 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

heckindale

  • Guest
Controlling molecular structure
« on: June 17, 2019, 11:20:09 AM »
Hello people, welcome to my first post!  ;D

I was on PubChem, just researching ADHD medication; methylphenidate and methylphenidate hydrochloride, and I've got two questions I can't find the answer to:
  • Why is there a hydrochloride salt variant?
  • There are so many chemicals with the formula C14H20ClNO2, how do they control the structure during synthesis?
I genuinely appreciate any responses!
               

Offline wildfyr

  • Global Moderator
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1771
  • Mole Snacks: +203/-10
Re: Controlling molecular structure
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2019, 01:19:14 PM »
Hydrochloride salts are made to simplify purification, and because they are more soluble in water (like in your body).

Controlled molecular structure of such species is a whole field of science known as synthetic organic chemistry. Go down the wiki rabbit hole!

heckindale

  • Guest
Re: Controlling molecular structure
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2019, 10:53:38 PM »
Hydrochloride salts are made to simplify purification.
In what way does it simplify purification? Also, I don't quite understand how the HCl is associated with the main methylphenidate section; how or if it's attracted in anyway.

Offline hypervalent_iodine

  • Chemist
  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 261
  • Mole Snacks: +33/-1
Re: Controlling molecular structure
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2019, 11:01:35 PM »
Hydrochloride salts are made to simplify purification.
In what way does it simplify purification? Also, I don't quite understand how the HCl is associated with the main methylphenidate section; how or if it's attracted in anyway.

By changing it from the non-charged species, which would likely have low water solubility, to the charged salt, which has much higher water solubility. If you look at the structure of methyl phenidate, you’ll see a nitrogen contained in the form of an amine. It has a lone pair of electrons, which it can use to attack electrophilic species. If you put it into a solution of HCl, it will form a bond to the H+, giving the nitrogen a +1 charge. That is balanced out by the Cl- counter ion to give the HCl salt.

heckindale

  • Guest
Re: Controlling molecular structure
« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2019, 11:54:51 PM »
That helps a lot, thank you, sir!  :D

Offline hypervalent_iodine

  • Chemist
  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 261
  • Mole Snacks: +33/-1
Re: Controlling molecular structure
« Reply #5 on: June 18, 2019, 01:26:27 AM »
That helps a lot, thank you, sir!  :D

Ma'am*

heckindale

  • Guest
Re: Controlling molecular structure
« Reply #6 on: June 18, 2019, 04:24:01 AM »
I'm going to make a terrible scientist if I keep making assumptions like that  ::)

Sponsored Links