Chracterization of the complexation between indium(III) and zirocnium(IV) ions with the drug procaine: Spectral analysis, thermal properties, and microscopic imaging

This paper investigates the complexation behavior of the drug procaine towards forming stable metal-based complexes. The study examines the chemical reaction between procaine (PC) and two metal ions (In3+ and Zr4+). Controlling the temperature at 70 °C, the pH at approximately 8.5, and the stoichiometry at 1:3 for In3+ ion and 1:2 for Zr4+ ion, the reaction generated white, stable PC-In and PC-Zr complexes. To provide a comprehensive understanding of the structural, compositional, morphological, and thermal properties of the formed metal-procaine complexes, a variety of physicochemical techniques were employed to thoroughly characterize the synthesized complexes, including CHN elemental analysis, conductivity, ultraviolet/visible and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopies, powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and thermogravimetry. The study reveals that the manufactured complexes of In3+ and Zr4+ can be represented by the formulae [In(PC)3(H2O)3].Cl3 and [ZrO(PC)2(H2O)2].Cl2.4H2O, respectively. These formulas correspond to the overall compositions of C39H66N6Cl3O9In, and C26H52N4Cl2O11Zr, respectively. The high-quality and well-focused TEM images demonstrate that the complexes possessed a uniform and well-structured morphology. The investigation of the complexation behavior of procaine with In3+ and Zr4+ ions provide valuable insights into the formation and properties of these stable complexes, which can have potential applications in the pharmaceutical and biomedical fields. KEY WORDS: Drug procaine, Metal ion, Spectral analysis, Thermal decomposition, TEM Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2025, 39(6), 1083-1094. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v39i6.5