Spectrophotometric determination of oxalic acid in presence of glyoxylic acid and chloride

Glyoxylic acid gives a yellow 1:1 complex, FeCHOCOO]²⁺ with iron(III). The dissociation contant, measured by two spectrophotometric methods, is K = 9.7 ± 1 mol l^?1. Oxalic acid gives two complexes with iron(III) which absorb in the same range around 400 nm. With appropriate precautions and corrections, oxalic acid concentrations of about 10^?1–10^?2 M can be determined in the presence of glyoxylic acid and chloride.