Medicinal Inorganic Chemistry Flashcards

A comprehensive vocabulary flashcard set reviewing key terms, historical discoveries, group properties, chemical processes, qualitative tests, and medicinal applications in Inorganic Chemistry.

Law of Triads

Concept proposed by Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner observing groups of 3 elements with similar physical and chemical properties, where the atomic mass of the middle element equals the arithmetic mean of the first and third elements.

Law of Octaves

Concept developed by John Newlands stating that every 8th element exhibits properties similar to the first element when classified into groups.

Ionization Potential

The energy required to remove an electron from an atom and make it positive; decreases from top to bottom and increases from left to right on the periodic table.

Electron Affinity

The property of an atom to accept an electron resulting in a negative charge; decreases from top to bottom and increases from left to right on the periodic table.

Electronegativity

The ability of an atom to attract electrons to itself; decreases from top to bottom and increases from left to right on the periodic table.

Protium

The most abundant isotope of hydrogen ($99.985\%$), denoted as $[H\text{-}1]$, consisting of 1 proton in its nucleus.

Deuterium

An isotope of hydrogen ($[H\text{-}2]$) known as 'heavy water', containing 1 proton and 1 neutron; used as a coolant and neutron moderator in nuclear reactors.

Tritium

A radioactive isotope of hydrogen ($[H\text{-}3]$) containing 1 proton and 2 neutrons; decays into Helium-3 via beta decay and is used in luminous paints.

Messerschmidt Process

A manufacturing process producing hydrogen with $99\%$ purity based on the decomposition of iron metals and formation of carbon monoxide and hydrogen mixture known as blue water gas.

Lithium Carbonate

Known by the brand name Lithase; it serves as the drug of choice (DOC) for bipolar disorder.

Methenamine

A prodrug used as a urinary antiseptic that is acidified by sodium dihydrogen phosphate ($\text{NaH}_2\text{PO}_4$) in vivo to release formaldehyde ($\text{HCHO}$).

Solvay Process

An industrial manufacturing process used in the production of soda lime glass.

Denigé's Test

A specific test for citrates utilizing pyridine and acetic anhydride, producing a carmine red solution for citrates and an emerald green solution for tartrates.

Lunge Test

The most sensitive test for nitrates, utilizing diphenylamine and sulfuric acid ($\text{H}_2\text{SO}_4$) to yield a blue color at the interface of the two liquids.

Karl Fischer Titration

A volumetric titration method for water determination using sodium tartrate as a primary standard with iodine, sulfur dioxide, and alcohols as solvents.

Potassium Superoxide

A compound ($\text{KO}_2$) formed when potassium reacts with oxygen in dry air; used in re-breathers and respiration equipment to generate oxygen.

Nessler's Reagent

An aqueous solution of $\text{KI}$, mercuric chloride ($\text{HgCl}_2$), and $\text{KOH}$ used to detect the presence of ammonia.

Oligodynamic Action

The property of silver and certain metals to inhibit the growth of microorganisms through protein precipitation.

Argyria

A condition characterized by permanent darkening of the skin caused by silver toxicity.

Howe's Solution

Ammoniacal silver nitrate solution used as a dental protective and desensitizing agent, as well as the primary reagent in Tollen's test.

Aurotherapy

Also known as Chrystotherapy; the medicinal administration of gold preparations (such as Solganal, Myochrisin, and Ridaura) for treating arthritis.

Grignard's Reagent

An organomagnesium complex ($\text{RMgX}$) essential in the industrial synthesis of tamoxifen.

Plaster of Paris

Calcium sulfate hemihydrate ($\text{CaSO}_4 \cdot \frac{1}{2}\text{H}_2\text{O}$) used in dental impressions and surgical casts.

Baritosis

A toxicity condition caused by excessive exposure to barium; treated using magnesium sulfate ($\text{MgSO}_4$) as an antidote.

Rinman's Green Test

A qualitative test for detecting zinc ions that yields a characteristic green color (Cobalt green).

Itai-itai Disease

A painful toxicity condition resulting from severe cadmium poisoning; treated with British Anti-Lewisite (BAL / Dimercaprol).

Calomel

The common name for mercurous chloride ($\text{Hg}_2\text{Cl}_2$), historically used as a cathartic and local antiseptic.

Mayer's Reagent

Potassium mercuric iodide ($\text{K}_2\text{HgI}_4$), used as an analytical reagent to test for alkaloids.

Thenard's Blue Ash

A diagnostic test or substance used for detecting aluminum in a sample, manifested by a blue ash.

Shaver's Disease

Also known as Bauxite pneumoconiosis or Corundum smelter's lung; a progressive lung disorder caused by exposure to aluminum oxide fumes.

Fuller's Earth

Aluminum magnesium silicate (also known as Floretin or Floredin) used as an adsorbent.

Catenation

The property of carbon atoms to form covalent bonds with other carbon atoms to form long chains or rings.

Plumbism

Lead poisoning (also called Saturnism or Painter's colic), characterized by wrist drop, foot drop, pica, and lead encephalopathy.

Goulard's Extract

A solution of lead subacetate ($\text{Pb}_2\text{O}(\text{CH}_3\text{COO})_2$) prepared from lead acetate and lead oxide, used as an astringent and antiseptic.

Gutzeit Test

A detection test for arsenic that produces a light brown spot on filter paper moistened with silver nitrate solution.

Tartar Emetic

Antimony potassium tartrate; an active ingredient in Brown mixture used as an emetic, expectorant, and treatment for schistosomiasis.

Frasch Process

A mining method used to synthesize and extract sulfur from deep underground deposits using calcarone furnaces.

Perchromic Acid Test

Also called the Vanishing Blue Test; a qualitative test for chromium using hydrogen peroxide and ether that produces a blue ethereal layer.

Beilstein Test

A qualitative flame test used to identify the presence of halides, developed by Friedrich Conrad Beilstein.

Lugol's Solution

A strong iodine solution composed of $5\%$ elemental iodine in water with potassium iodide.

Turnbull's Blue

The chemical compound ferrous ferricyanide ($\text{Fe}_3[\text{Fe}(\text{CN})_6]_2$).

Prussian Blue

The chemical compound ferric ferrocyanide ($\text{Fe}_4[\text{Fe}(\text{CN})_6]_3$).

Mohr's Salt

Ferrous ammonium sulfate; an iron salt preferred over ferrous sulfate in analytical procedures because it is less prone to air oxidation.

Basham's Mixture

An aromatic solution of iron and ammonium acetate used pharmaceutically as an astringent and styptic.