Comparative chromogenicities and discrepant spectra obtained between a heterogeneous and homogeneous Zimmermann reaction

A spectrophotometric study is shown for two modifications of a 17-KS procedure in which nearly all aqueous reaction media were used. Although the apparent differences in matrices of reaction between the two procedures appear to be minute, a small volume of ethanol for one is substituted for the same volume of methanol in the other, the final alkalinity of the latter procedure is stronger, and the reaction temperature was increased, wide differences in spectral results are found between the two methods. The ethanolic, lower alkalinity procedure is a homogeneous, single-phase reaction while the methanolic, higher-alkalinity procedure is a heterogeneous system in which a precipitation of detergent occurs and the precipitate becomes an integral part of the color reaction. The rate of formation of the ethanolic procedure is variable for the different 17-KS but it is constant in the methanolic procedure. The chromogenicities of color formation between the two procedures differ in that the methanolic system provides uniform and predictable spectra with more equivalent molar absorptivities. Lastly, the methanolic system shows a much greater sensitivity owing, apparently, to a more complete final reaction. This inability to form full color for several compounds in the homogeneous system can be related in some way to the large variations in ability to form that color owing to matrix composition.