Preparation of Acid-Base Indicators

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The quantities listed in the "Preparation" column did not come down with Moses from
Mount Sinai. They ought to be considered to be only good approximations. The audience
of users, the decision whether to determine a titration error for a particular color change
and the experimental environment must be considered when deciding what quantity is
best to use.

Indicator pH Change Color Change Preparation

Methyl Violet 0.0 - 1.6 yel to bl 0.01- 0.05 % in water
Crystal Violet 0.0 - 1.8 yel to bl 0.02% in water
Ethyl Violet 0.0 - 2.4 yel to bl 0.1 g in 50 ml of MeOH + 50 ml of water
Malachite Green 0.2 - 1.8 yel to bl grn water
Methyl Green 0.2 - 1.8 yel to bl 0.1% in water
2 - (p - dimethylaminophenylazo)pyridine 0.2 - 1.8, 4.4 - yel to bl, red to 0.1 % in ETOH
5.6 yel
o - Cresolsulfonephthalein (Cresol Red) 0.4 - 1.8, 7.0 - yel to red, yel to 0.1 g in 26.2 ml 0.01M NaOH + 223.8 ml water
8.8 red
Quinaldine Red 1.0 - 2.2 col to red 1 % in ETOH
p - (p - dimethylaminophenylazo) - benzoic acid, Na - salt 1.0 - 3.0 red to yel ETOH
(Paramethyl Red)
m - (p - anilnophenylazo)benzene sulfonic acid, Na - salt 1.2 - 2.4 red to yel 0.01% in water
(Metanil Yellow)
4 - Phenylazodiphenylamine 1.2 - 2.6 red to yel 0.01 g in 1 ml 1M HCI + 50 ml ETOH + 49 ml
water
Thymolsulfonephthalein (Thymol Blue) 1.2 - 2.8, 8.0 - red to yel, yel to 0.1 g in 21.5 ml 0.01 M NaOH + 229.5 mL water
9.6 bl
m - Cresolsulfonephthalein (Metacresol Purple) 1.2 - 2.8, 7.4 - red to yel, yel to 0.1 g in 26.2 ml 0.01M NaOH + 223.8 ml water
9.0 purp
p - (p - anilinophenylazo)benzenesulfonic acid, Na - salt 1.4 - 2.8 red to yel 0.01 % in water
(Orange IV)
4 - o - Tolylazo - o - toluidine 1.4 - 2.8 or to yel water
Erythrosine, disodium salt 2.2 - 3.6 or,to red 0.1% in water
Benzopurpurine 48 2.2 - 4.2 vt to red 0. 1 170 in water
N,N - dimethyl - p - (m - tolylazo)aniline 2.6 - 4.8 red to yel 0.1% in water
4,4' - Bix(2 - amino - l - naphthylazo)2,2' - stil - 3.0 - 4.0 purp to red 0.1 g in 5.9 ml 0.05 M NaOH + 94.1 ml water
benedisulfonic acid
Tetrabromophenolphthaleinethyl ester, K - salt 3.0 - 4.2 yel to bl 0.1 % in ETOH
3',3",5',5" - tetrabromophenol - sulfonephthalein 3.0 - 4.6 yel to bl 0.1 g in 14.9 ml 0.01M NaOH + 235.1 ml water
(Bromophenol Blue)
2,4 - Dinitrophenol 2.8 - 4.0 colorless to yel saturated water solution
N,N - Dimethyl - p - phenylazoaniline (p - 2.8 - 4.4 red to yel 0.1 g in 90 ml in ETOH + 10 ml water
Dimethylaminoazobenzene)
Congo Red 3.0 - 5.0 blue to red 0.1% in water
Methyl Orange - Xylene Cyanole solution 3.2 - 4.2 purp to grn ready solution
Methyl Orange 3.2 - 4.4 red to yel 0.01 % in water
Ethyl Orange 3. 4 - 4. 8' red to yel 0.05 - 0.2% in water or aqueous ETOH
4 - (4 - Dimethylamino - 1 - naphthylazo) - 3 - 3.5 - 4.8 vt to yel 0.1% in 60% ETOH
methoxybenzenesulfonic acid
3',3",5',5" - Tetrabromo - m - cresol - sulfonephthalein 3.8 - 5.4 yel to blue 0.1 g in 14.3 ml 0.01 M NaOH + 235.7 ml water
(Bromocresol Green)
Resazurin 3.8 - 6.4 or to vt water
4 - Phenylazo - l - naphthylamine 4.0 - 5.6 red to yel 0.1 % in ETOH
Ethyl Red 4.0 - 5.8 col to red 0.1 g in 50 ml MEOH + 50 ml water
2 - (p - Dimethylaminophenylazo) - pyridine 0.2 - 1.8, 4.4 - yel to red, red to 0.1 % in ETOH
5.6 yel
4 - (p - ethoxyphenylazo) - m - phenylene - diamine 4.4 - 5.8 or to yel 0.1% in water
monohydrochloride
Lacmoid 4.4 - 6.2 red to bl 0.2% in ETOH
Alizarin Red S 4.6 - 6.0 yel to red 0.2 g in 100 mL of 1.5% HCl
Methyl Red 4.8 - 6.0 red to yel 0.02 g in 60 ml ETOH + 40 ml water
Propyl Red 4.8 - 6.6 red to yel ETOH
5',5" - Dibromo - o - cresolsulfone - phthalein 5.2 - 6.8 yel to purp 0.1 g in 18.5 ml 0.01M NaOH + 231.5 ml water
(Bromocresol Purple)
3',3" - Dichlorophenolsulfonephthalein (Chlorophenol 5.2 - 6.8 yel to red 0.1 g in 23.6 ml 0.01 M NaOH + 226.4 ml water
Red)
p - Nitrophenol 5.4 - 6.6 col to yel 0.1% in water
Alizarin 5.6 - 7.2, 11.0 - yel to red, red to 0.1 % in MEOH
12.4 purp
2 - (2,4 - Dinitrophenylazo) - l - naphthol - 3, 6 - 6.0 - 7.0 yel to bl 0.1% in water
disulfonic acid, di - Na salt
3',3" - Dibromothymolsulfonephthalein (Bromothymol 6.0 - 7.6 yel to bl 0.1 gin 16 ml 0.01 M NaOH + 234 ml water
Blue)
6,8 - Dinitro - 2,4 - (lH)quinazolinedione (m - 6.4 - 8.0 col to yel 25 g in 115 ml M NaOH + 50 ml boiling water
Dinitrobenzoylene urea) 0.292g of NaCl in 100 ml water
Brilliant Yellow 6.6 - 7.8 yel to or 1 % in water
Phenolsulfonephthalein (Phenol Red) 6.6 - 8.0 yel to red 0.1 gin 28.2 ml 0.01M NaOH + 221.8 ml water
Neutral Red 6.8 - 8.0 red to amb 0.01 g in 50 ml ETOH + 50 ml water
m - Nitrophenol 6.8 - 8.6 col to yel 0.3170 in water
o - Cresolsulfonephthalein (Cresol Red) 0.0 - 1.0, 7.0 - red to yel, yel to 0.1 g in 26.2 ml 0.01 M NaOH + 223.8 ml water
8.8 red
Curcumin 7.4 - 8.6, 10.2 - yel to red ETOH
11.8
m - Cresolsulfonephthalein (Metacresol Purple) 1.2 - 2.8, 7.4 - red to yel, yel to 0.1 gin 26.2 ml 0.01M NaOH + 223.8 ml water
9.0 purp
4,4' - Bis(4 - amino - i - Daphthylazo) 2,2'stilbene 8.0 - 9.0 bl to red 0.1 gin 5.9 ml 0.05 M NaOH + 94.1 ml water
disulfonic acid
Thymolsulfonephthalein (Thymol Blue) 1.2 - 2.8, 8.0 - red to yel 0.1 g in 21.5 ml 0.01 M NaOH + 228.5 ml water
9.6
o - Cresolphthalein 8.2 - 9.8 col to red 0.04% in ETOH
p - Naphtholbenzene 8.2 - 10.0 or to bl I % in dil. alkali
Phenolphthalein 8.2 - 10.0 col to pink 0.05 gin 50 mL ETOH + 50 mL water
Ethyl - bis (2.4 - dimethylphenyl)acetate 8.4 - 9.6 col to bl saturated solution in 50% acetone alcohol
Thymolphthalein 9.4 - 10.6 col to bl 0.04 g in 50 ml ETOH + 50 ml water
5 - (p - Nitrophenylazo)salicylic acid, Na - salt (Alizarin 10.1 - 12.0 yel to red 0.01 % in water
Yellow R)
p - (2,4 - Dihydroxyphenylazo)benzene - sulfonic acid, Na 11.4 - 12.6 yel to or 0.1 % in water
- salt
5,5' - Indigodisulfonic acid, di - Na - salt 11.4 - 13.0 bl to yel water
2,4,6 - Trinitrotoluene 11.5 - 13.0 co] to or 0.1 - 0.5% in ETOH
1,3,5 - Trinitrobenzene 12.0 - 14.0 col to or 0.1 - 0.5% in ETOH
Clayton Yellow 12.2 - 13.2 yel to amb 0.1% in water