Reactions and characterisation of aromatic sulphonic acids

Sulphonic acids are frequently crystalline solids, readily soluble in water and often hygroscopic. Because of the difficulty of isolation of the free acids, they are usually encountered as the alkah metal salts. 

Extract the acidified solution with ether, remove the ether and identify the phenol in the usual manner (see Section IV,114).f Add a few drops of bromine water or nitric acid to the aqueous layer and test for sulphate with barium chloride solution. 

Once the presence of a sulphonate group has been estabhshed (and, if possible, the phenol isolated), the compound may be characterised by the preparation of a derivative. It must be remembered that both sulphoxides RSOR and sulpJiones RSOjR yield sulphur dioxide on fusion with caustic alkali and acidification. 

Sulphonamides. Mix together 1 0 g. of the dry acid or 1 - 2 g. of the anhydrous salt with 2 5 g. of phosphorus pentachloride f and heat under a reflux condenser in an oil bath at 150° for 30 minutes. Cool the mixture, add 20 ml. of dry benzene, warm on a steam bath and stir the solid mass well to extract the sulphonyl chloride filter. Add the benzene solution slowly and with stirring to 10 ml. of concentrated ammonia solution. If the sulphonamide precipitates, separate it by filtration if no solid is obtained, evaporate the benzene on a steam bath. Wash the sulphonamide with a little cold water, and recrystallise from water, aqueous ethanol or ethanol to constant m.p. 

The procedure is not usually applicable to aminosulphonic acids owing to the interaction between the amino group and the phosphorus pentachloride. If, however, the chlorosulphonic acid is prepared by diazotisation and treatment with a solution of cuprous chloride in hydrochloric acid, the crystalline chlorosulphonamide and chlorosulphonanilide may be obtained in the usual way. With some compounds, the amino group may be protected by acetylation. Sulphonic acids derived from a phenol or naphthol cannot be converted into the sulphonyl chlorides by the phosphorus pentachloride method. 

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Aromatic sulphonic acids, 554 compounds derived from, 820 reactions and characterisation of, 552, 1077 ... 

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