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.