Colour Reaction of Diphenylamine with Aldehydes

Chemistry Section, Z. H. College of Engineering and Technology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202 001

Manuscript received 3 August 1979, revised 28 March 1980, accepted 9 July 1980

Diphenylamine reacts with aldehydes in acidic solutions. Diphenylamine salts (hydrochloride, sulphate and perchlorate) react with aldehydes directly. These reactions may be divided into two classes ; the first is based on formation of very stable ternary iminium salts, and the second class depends on the formation of highly unstable and deliquescent ternary iminium salts. Latter salts are autoxidized with atmospheric oxygen to give a deeply coloured compound which can be used for the sensitive colori­metric detection and determination. The ternary iminium perchlorate obtained may be used as explosives.