Determination of pK _a values for ( E )‐2‐hydroxy‐5‐(aryldiazenyl) benzaldehydes in dimethyl sulfoxide: Cyclic voltammetry and density functional theory calculations

The (E)-2-hydroxy-5-(aryldiazenyl) benzaldehydes (azo dyes 1-4) were synthesized in high purity. As they are insoluble in water, the usual analytical methods cannot be utilized to determine their pK(a) values. Cyclic voltammetry was experimentally used to determine their pKa values in DMSO solvent. In addition, computational methods and a conductor-like screening model (COSMO) were used to calculate the solvent effect. Delta Uexchange degrees, Delta Gexchange degrees, K-exchange, and pK(a) values were estimated for the azo dyes being studied using the BP86, TPSS, B3LYP, PBE0, TPSSh, and PW6B95 density functionals in def2-TZVP basis sets. The obtained mean absolute deviations (MADs) indicate that the results of BP86, PBE0, and PW6B95 functionals are in good agreement with experimental values.