Chelate formation of zirconium with xylenol orange and semi-xylenol orange

The composition, formation constants, and molar absorptivities of the chelates of zirconium ion wtih xylenol orange and semi-xylenol orange are investigated spectrophotometrically in strong acid medium at ionic strength 3.0 (NaClO₄ and HClO₄). The data obtained were processed with a newly-constructed computer program and with LETAGROP/SPEFO. In the zirconium—xylenol orange system, Zr · H₃ L, Zr· H₄L, and Zr₂ · L are present with logarithmic overall formation constants of 37.80, 38.68, 43.47, and molar absorptivities of 3.10 × 10⁴ (485 nm), 5.98 × 10⁴ (528 nm), 9.50 × 10⁴ (551 nm) I mol^-1 cm^-1, respectively. The chelates Zr · L and Zr · HL were found in the zirconium—semi-xylenol orange system with logarithmic overall formation constants of 26.25 and 27.56, and molar absorptivities of 5.70 × 10⁴ (532 nm) and 8.30 × 10⁴ (535 nm) 1 mol^-1 cm^-1, respectively. Semi-xylenol orange is more sensitive and reliable than xylenol orange as a spectrophotometric reagent for zirconium.