Complex formation of iron (III) with eriochrome cyanine r

The complex formation of iron(III) with the trisodium salt of 5-[α-(3-carboxy-5-methyl-4-oxo-2,5-cyclohexadien-1-ylidene)-2-sulfobenzyl]-3-methylsalicylic acid (eriochrome cyanine R) was studied by spectrophotometry. The pure tetrabasic acid of the ligand (H₄ER) was prepared and used in the investigation. In the pH range 2.7–4.2 three complexes were detected: a ring-formed dimer Fe₂(ER)₂, Fe₂(ER) and Fe(ER) ; the absolute stability constants (at an ionic strength of 0.1 M and at room temperature (20 ± 3°)) were log k = 37.9, log k = 22.5 and log k = 17.9, respectively.