The electrochemical behavior of dopamine at glassy carbon electrode modified by Nafion multiwalled carbon nanotubes

DFT (B3LY/6-31G (d, p) and B3LYP/cc-PVDZ) calculations are performed for deoxidized dopamine (DA((R))) and its oxidized form (DA((O))). The electrochemistry of dopamine (DA) was studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) at a glassy carbon electrode modified by Nafion multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) in phosphate buffers at pH 5.4, showing that the standard electrode potential of a half reaction for DA((O)), H+/DA((R)) is 0.74 V. This experimental standard electrode potential of the half reaction is consistent with those of 0.65 and 0.69 V calculated using the energies of solvation and the sum of the electronic and thermal free energies of DA((R)) and DA((O)). The frontier orbital theory and Mulliken charges of molecules explain the electrochemical behavior of CV at a modified electrode well. The effects of oxygen on DA((R)) in blood and drug are also discussed according to equilibrium theory. The modified electrode was successful for determination of the content of pharmaceutical DA.