4,4'-DIPYRIDYL DISULFIDE

Chemical Properties

white to orange crystalline powder

Uses

• Aldrithiol^?-4 was used as cosubstrate in a study to develop highly specific inhibitors against mannose-binding lectin-associated serine proteases by in vitro evolution technology:phage display.
• It was used to study the O₂ equilibria of recombinant human neuroglobin and cytoglobin measured under close to physiological conditions.
• It was used to modify gold surfaces for protein studies.

Definition

ChEBI: An organic disulfide obtained by formal oxidative dimerisation of 4-thiopyridine.

Purification Methods

Recrystallise the disulfide from H2O, EtOH, Me2CO, *C6H6 or pet ether. It has been used as a 1mM solution in EtOH for the spectrophotometric estimation of thiols. Essentially the thiol displaces half the disulfide molecule liberating the 4-mercaptopyridine (4-pyridinethiol) anion, thereby shifting the max from 324nm (of the disulfide) to 285nm (of the anion) at pH 9. (Compare with 2,2’dipyridyl disulfide above which has been used for the same purpose.) [Humphrey et al. Anal Chem 40 698 1970, Cheng & Ritchie Aust J Chem 26 1785 1973.] [Beilstein 21 II 35, for review see Aldrichimica Acta 4 33 1971.]