Electrochemical and spectrophotometric characterisation of protein kinase inhibitor and anticancer drug danusertib

Abstract

The electrochemical oxidation mechanism of the anti-cancer drug and kinases inhibitor danusertib was studied by cyclic, differential pulse, square wave voltammetry and a glassy carbon electrode. Danusertib undergoes oxidation in a cascade mechanism and depending on the pH of the supporting electrolyte several oxidation peaks were observed. The number of electrons and protons involved in each oxidation step as well as the pKa ∼ 10.0 were determined. The analytical determination of danusertib was carried out in pH = 7.0 by square wave voltammetry with LOD = 27.4 nM and UV–VIS spectrophotometry with LOD = 0.5 μM. Different electroactive centres of danusertib were identified through comparative studies with similar compounds such as imatinib and piperazine, and an oxidation mechanism of danusertib proposed.