Disodium hydroxylaminedisulfonate

The following alternative procedure may be used to prepare a solution of disodium hydroxylaminedisulfonate. Sodium nitrite (15 g., 0.217 mole) and 41.6 g. (0.40 mole) of sodium bisulfite are added to 250 g. of ice. With stirring, 22.5 ml. (0.40 mole) of acetic acid is added all at once and the mixture is stirred for 90 minutes in an ice hath. At the end of the stirring period the reaction solution is pH 5 and a potassium iodide-starch test is negative. A solution of 50 g. (0.47 mole) of sodium carbonate in water (total volume 250 ml.) is added. This buffered solution of disodium hydroxylaminedisulfonate may be used for electrolytic oxidation. 

The nitrosodisulfonate salts, particularly the dipotassium salt called Fremy s salt, are useful reagents for the selective oxidation of phenols and aromatic amines to quinones (the Teuber reaction). - Dipotassium nitrosodisulfonate has been prepared by the oxidation of a hydroxylaminedisulfonate salt with potassium permanganate, " with lead dioxide, or by electrolysis. This salt is also available commercially. The present procedure illustrates the electrolytic oxidation to form an alkaline aqueous solution of the relatively soluble disodium nitrosodisulfonate. This procedure avoids a preliminary filtration which is required to remove manganese dioxide formed when potassium permanganate is used as the oxidant. " ... 

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