Study on the Behavior of potassium p-Benzoquinonesulfonate in Buffer Solution with Polarographic and Absorption Spectral Methods

Abstract

From the fact that hydroquinone gives p-quinone and hydrogen peroxide by air oxidation in alkaline buffer solution, it is expected that hydroquinone monosulfonate gives p-quinene monosulfonate and hydrogen peroxide by air oxidation under the same condition. But potassium p-benzoquinonesulfonate could not be detected by polarographic method with dropping mercury electrode. This result was due to the fact that potassium p-benzoquinonesulfonate reacted with OH- ion in buffer solution. It was presumed from the study of absorptign spectra and and polarographic data that OH- ion attacked the carbonyl carbon atom of p-quinone monosulfonate. The petassium p-benzgquinonesulfonate was reduced by the addition product of OH- ion to give hydroquinone monosulfonate.