Paper Chromatography of Phenolic Substances

Abstract

SEVERAL recent publications have attested to the utility of the technique of paper partition chromatography in the separation and identification of phenolic substances. Bate-Smith1 described its application to anthocyanins, flavones and other polyphenolic substances using a butanol – acetic acid – water system and ammoniacal silver nitrate as a detecting reagent. Evans, Parr and Evans2 used butanol – pyridine – aqueous sodium chloride and diazotized sulphanilic acid (Pauly reagent) to separate and detect simple phenols and their derived phenolic acids. Gosta Lindstedt3, applying the technique to the separation and identification of nine phenolic constituents of pine heartwood extracts, found that best results were obtained with a water-saturated mixture of benzene and ligroin containing traces of methanol. Bis-diazotized benzidine was used as the detecting reagent. A phosphomolybdic acid detecting reagent was used by Riley4 in applying the technique to common phenols in benzene – alcohol – water systems. In studying lignin degradation products, Hossfeld5 first coupled the phenol mixtures with diazotized sulphanilic acid and then separated the sodium salts of the dyes formed using a methyl ketone – water system.