A SELECTIVE KINETIC METHOD FOR THE ESTIMATION OF BENZYL ALCOHOL IN CLOSELY RELATED MIXTURES

Abstract

Ethylenebis(biguanide)silver(III) ion quantitatively oxidises benzyl alcohol and its derivatives (XC₆H₄CH₂OH; X = H, CH₃, Cl or NO₂, substituents in ortho or para position). The difference in reaction rates for different alcohols has been utilised in developing a kinetic method for the estimation of benzyl alcohol (2.0–40.0 mmol dm⁻³) in the presence of a large number of closely related alcohols and hydroxy compounds. The relative standard deviation for ten replicate measurements of 5 mmol dm⁻³ benzyl alcohol is 1.5%. The method was satisfactorily applied to analyse real samples.

Keywords:

• Kinetic method
• Kinetics
• Benzyl alcohol
• Estimation

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

S. M. gratefully acknowledges University Grants Commission, New Delhi for financial support in terms of a minor research project. The authors thank Professors Somenath Ghosh and Sabooj Kumar Bhowal for many helpful discussions.