Ionisation of diacetylmorphine (heroin)
I have learn't that the pKa of diacetylmorphine is 7.6, close to physiological pH and hence will be mostly un-ionised in the blood.
1. How can diacetylmorphine be ionised in the blood and what will the effects of this be on the molecule in circulation? (I assume that it will be more soluble?)
2. When HCl is added to diacetylmorphine, it forms diacetylmorphine hydrochloride. I am not sure about the chemical structure of this - could someone please confirm - does the amine group on heroin accept an H ion? What occurs to the Cl ion?