Organic compounds reduction

The reduction of colorless 1,2,3,4-tetrazolium salts to give colored formazans allows the determination of reductive organic compounds such as aldehydes, thiols, and ketols (RCOCH2OH) ... 

In ammoniacal solution (in which the ion [AgfNHjlj]" is formed) it is readily reduced to silver (see above) by many organic compounds. The use of silver nitrate for marking clothes depends on its reduction by the material to black silver. The reduction also occurs even when the neutral solution comes in contact with the skin, and a black stain is left. Thus solid silver nitrate rubbed on the skin leaves a black deposit and so is used in surgery as a mild caustic—hence the old name for silver nitrate of lunar caustic. 

Low-valent nitrogen and phosphorus compounds are used to remove hetero atoms from organic compounds. Important examples are the Wolff-Kishner type reduction of ketones to hydrocarbons (R.L. Augustine, 1968 D. Todd, 1948 R.O. Hutchins, 1973B) and Barton s olefin synthesis (p. 35) both using hydrazine derivatives. 

Controlled-potential coulometry also can be applied to the quantitative analysis of organic compounds, although the number of applications is significantly less than that for inorganic analytes. One example is the six-electron reduction of a nitro group, -NO2, to a primary amine, -NH2, at a mercury electrode. Solutions of picric acid, for instance, can be analyzed by reducing to triaminophenol. 

Condensation. Control or reduction of volatile gases and vapors by condensation is most feasible for organic compounds (49,55). 

In electroless deposition, the substrate, prepared in the same manner as in electroplating (qv), is immersed in a solution containing the desired film components (see Electroless plating). The solutions generally used contain soluble nickel salts, hypophosphite, and organic compounds, and plating occurs by a spontaneous reduction of the metal ions by the hypophosphite at the substrate surface, which is presumed to catalyze the oxidation—reduction reaction. 

In the United States, the reportable quantity of 1-propanol for spills under CERCLA "Superfund" is 100 Ib/d (45.4 kg/d). However, no reportable quantity is assigned for transport (43). The substance is on the list for atmospheric standards, as defined iu 40 CER 60.489 (47). The iatent of these standards is to require all newly constmcted, modified, and reconstmcted manufacturiug units to use the best demonstrated system of continuous emission reduction for equipment leaks of volatile organic compounds (47). 1-Propanol is also on the right-to-know regulations of the states of Connecticut,... 

Rhenium oxides have been studied as catalyst materials in oxidation reactions of sulfur dioxide to sulfur trioxide, sulfite to sulfate, and nitrite to nitrate. There has been no commercial development in this area. These compounds have also been used as catalysts for reductions, but appear not to have exceptional properties. Rhenium sulfide catalysts have been used for hydrogenations of organic compounds, including benzene and styrene, and for dehydrogenation of alcohols to give aldehydes (qv) and ketones (qv). The significant property of these catalyst systems is that they are not poisoned by sulfur compounds. 

Comprehensive accounts of the various gravimetric, polarographic, spectrophotometric, and neutron activation analytical methods have been pubHshed (1,2,5,17,19,65—67). Sampling and analysis of biological materials and organic compounds is treated in References 60 and 68. Many analytical methods depend on the conversion of selenium in the sample to selenous acid, H2Se02, and reduction to elemental selenium when a gravimetric deterrnination is desired. 

Diarsines and Diarsenes. Under certain conditions, the reduction of compounds with two organic groups attached to arsenic may give rise to tetraalkyl-or tetraaryldiarsines. Thus a number of diarsines have been obtained by the reduction of arsinic acids with phosphorous or hypophosphorous acid (100). Diarsines can also be prepared by the treatment of a metal dialkyl- or diarylarsenide with iodine (101) or a 1,2-dihaloethane (102). 

Photosensitive Reactions. The reduction of chromium (VI) by organic compounds is highly photosensitive, and this property is used ia photosensitive dichromate-coUoid systems. 

Heteropolyacids (HPA) are the unique class of inorganic complexes. They are widely used in different areas of science in biochemistry for the precipitation of albumens and alkaloids, in medicine as anticarcinogenic agents, in industry as catalysts. HPA are well known analytical reagents for determination of phosphoms, silica and arsenic, nitrogen-containing organic compounds, oxidants and reductants in solution etc. 

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