Extraction-spectrophotometric determination of boron with 4,6-Di-tert-butyl-3-methoxycatechol and ethyl violet

4,6-Di-tert-butyl-3-methoxycatechol (DBMC) has been developed as a new reagent for boron, the complex anion formed being extracted as an ion-associate with Ethyl Violet into toluene, and the absorbance measured at 610 nm. The calibration graph is linear up to 0.43 mug of boron, the molar absorptivity is 1.02 x 10(5) 1.mole(-1).cm(-1) and the relative standard deviation 1.2%. The method has been applied to the determination of boron in sea-water and river water with satisfactory results.