Using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy characterization, we observe that urea is able to recognize and interact with uracil efficiently even in the solid phase without involving water or solvents. A cocrystal configuration linked by a pair of hydrogen bonds between uracil and urea was formed. The terahertz absorption spectrum of the cocrystal shows a distinct new absorption at 0.8 THz (26.7 cm(-1)), which originates from the intermolecular hydrogen bonding. Both mechanical milling and heating can accelerate the reaction efficiently. Density functional theory was adopted to simulate the vibrational modes of the cocrystal, and the results agree well with the experimental observation. Multiple techniques, including powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, were performed to investigate the reaction process, and they presented supportive evidence. This work enables in-depth understanding of recognition and interaction of urea with nucleobases and comprehension of the denaturation related to RNA. We also demonstrate that terahertz spectroscopy is an effective and alternative tool for online measurement and quality control in pharmaceutical and chemical industries.
A series of metal gluconates (Na(+), K(+), Mg(2+), Ca(2+), Fe(2+), Cu(2+), and Zn(2+)) were investigated by terahertz (THz) time-domain spectroscopy. The absorption coefficients and refractive indices of the samples were obtained in the frequency range of 0.5-2.6 THz. The gluconates showed distinct THz characteristic fingerprints, and the dissimilarities reflect their different structures, hydrogen-bond networks, and molecular interactions. In addition, some common features were observed among these gluconates, and the similarities probably come from the similar carbohydrate anion group. The X-ray powder diffraction measurements of these metal gluconates were performed, and the copper(II) gluconate was found to be amorphous, corresponding to the monotonic increase feature in the THz absorption spectrum. The results suggest that THz spectroscopy is sensitive to molecular structure and physical form. Binary and ternary mixtures of different gluconates were quantitatively analyzed based on the Beer-Lambert law. A chemical map of a tablet containing calcium D-gluconate monohydrate and α-lactose in the polyethylene host was obtained by THz imaging. The study shows that THz technology is a useful tool in pharmaceutical research and quality control applications.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.