Cyclopentanone-2-Carboxyanilide as a Gravimetric Reagent for Mercury(II)

Chemistry Department, The University of Burdwan, Burdwan-713101

Manuscript received 21 March 1975, revised 30 July 1975 ; accepted on 21 August 1975

Mercury (II) in quantities 25-40 mg has been determined gravimetrically by precipitating it as the cyclopentanone-2-carboxyanilide complex, Hg(C₁₂H₁₂O₂N)_2, containing 33.18% of the metal. The precipitation is quantitative in the pH-range, 5.5-8.6. The complex can be weighed directly if it is dried below 105° for half an hour and then at 110°-115°. Mercury (II) has also been separated quantitatively from Cu²⁺, Cd²⁺, Zn²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Bi³⁺, Fe³⁺, and Al³⁺. In these separations citric acid-sodium citrate buffer acts as masking agent. The relative standard deviation is ± 0.32%.