Exploiting π-acceptors for the determination of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) using a single interface flow system

A fully automated methodology was developed for the determination of the thyroid hormones levothyroxine (T4) and liothyronine (T3). The proposed method exploits the formation of highly coloured charge–transfer (CT) complexes between these compounds, acting as electron donors, and π-acceptors such as chloranilic acid (CLA) and 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-p-benzoquinone (DDQ). For automation of the analytical procedure a simple, fast and versatile single interface flow system (SIFA) was implemented guaranteeing a simplified performance optimisation, low maintenance and a cost-effective operation. Moreover, the single reaction interface assured a convenient and straightforward approach for implementing Job's method of continuous variations used to establish the stoichiometry of the formed CT complexes.Linear calibration plots for levothyroxine and liothyronine concentrations ranging from 5.0 × 10−5 to 2.5 × 10−4 mol L−1 and 1.0 × 10−5 to 1.0 × 10−4 mol L−1, respectively, were obtained, with good precision (R.S.D. <4.6% and <3.9%) and with a determination frequency of 26 h−1 for both drugs. The results obtained for pharmaceutical formulations were statistically comparable to the declared hormone amount with relative deviations lower than 2.1%. The accuracy was confirmed by carrying out recovery studies, which furnished recovery values ranging from 96.3% to 103.7% for levothyroxine and 100.1% for liothyronine.