Conductimetric and potentiometric titrations of phenolic acids with triethylamine and tetrabutylammonium hydroxide in acetonitrile

Nineteen phenolic acids, namely phenol, 2-nitrophenol, 3-nitrophenol, 4-nitrophenol, 2,4-dinitrophenol, 2,5-dinitrophenol, 2,6-dinitrophenol, 2,4,6-trinitrophenol, 4-chlorophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, 1,2-dihydroxybenzene, 1,3-dihydroxybenzene, 1,4-dihydroxybenzene, 1,2,3-trihydroxybenzene, 2-aminophenol, 3-aminophenol, 4-aminophenol, 3-cresol and 4-cresol, were titrated conductimetrically and potentiometrically with triethylamine and tetrabutylammonium hydroxide in acetonitrile under a nitrogen atmosphere at 25°C. Most exhibited normal behaviour on titration with triethylamine, but only 2,4-dinitrophenol, 2,6-dinitrophenol and 2,4,6-trinitrophenol gave useful characteristic and stoichiometric conductimetric titration curves. None of the compounds gave a meaningful conductimetric titration curve on titration with tetrabutylammonium hydroxide, which is a much stronger base than triethylamine. With three exceptions, all compounds exhibited stoichiometric well shaped potentiometric titration curves. Potentiometric titration curves of the phenolic acids with tetrabutylammonium hydroxide in acetonitrile are very similar to those of strong acids obtained in aqueous media with strong bases. Acetonitrile is a suitable solvent for titrating some of the weak phenolic acids conductimetrically with triethylamine, and is an excellent medium for titrating them potentiometrically with tetrabutylammonium hydroxide under a nitrogen atmosphere at 25°C.