Monograph

pubs.acs.org/doi/book/10.1021/acsreagents

Crystal Violet
(Hexamethylpararosaniline Chloride)
(Gentian Violet)
Part 4, Monographs for Reagent Chemicals: General Descriptions, Specifications, and Tests
eISBN: 9780841230460
Tom Tyner Chair, ACS Committee on Analytical Reagents
James Francis Secretary, ACS Committee on Analytical Reagents

ABSTRACT
This monograph for Crystal Violet provides, in addition to common physical constants, a general description including
typical appearance, applications, and aqueous solubility. The monograph also details the following specifications and
corresponding tests for verifying that a substance meets ACS Reagent Grade specifications including: Assay, Sensitivity
as Indicator, Loss on Drying, and Absorbance Characteristics.

C25H30ClN3 Formula Wt 407.99 CAS No. 548-62-9

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Typical appearance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dark green powder or greenish glistening pieces with metallic luster
Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . indicator for copper salts
Aqueous solubility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . soluble

SPECIFICATIONS

Assay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ≥90.0% C25H30ClN3

DOI:10.1021/acsreagents.4102
© 2017 American Chemical Society A ACS Reagent Chemicals, Part 4
ACS Reagent Chemicals Monograph

pubs.acs.org/doi/book/10.1021/acsreagents

Sensitivity as indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Passes test

Residue on ignition (Ash). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ≤1.5%
Loss on drying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <7.5%
Absorbance characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Passes test

TESTS
Assay
(By spectrophotometry). Weigh accurately 50.0 mg of sample previously dried for 4 h at 110 °C, dissolve in about 100 mL of
water in a 250 mL volumetric flask, and dilute with water to volume. Dilute 10 mL of this solution with water to 1 L, and
determine the absorbance in a 1 cm cell at the wavelength of maximum absorption at about 590 nm against water as the
blank. Reserve the remainder of the solution for the determination of absorbance characteristics.

Sensitivity as Indicator

For the Determination of Sensitivity as Indicator

S o l u t i o n A . Dissolve 100 mg of sample in 10 mL of glacial acetic acid.

S o l u t i o n B . Dilute 0.30 mL of 70% perchloric acid with dioxane to 25 mL.

To 50 mL of glacial acetic acid, add 0.10 mL of solution A. The purplish blue color of the solution is changed to bluish-green
by the addition of not more than 0.05 mL of solution B.

Loss on Drying
Weigh accurately 1.0 g, and dry for 4 h at 110 °C.

Absorbance Characteristics
Using the solution retained from the assay, determine the absorbance in a 1 cm cell at A – 15 nm and at A + 15 nm, against
water as the blank. The ratio of the absorbance at A – 15 nm to the absorbance at A + 15 nm should be between 0.98 and 1.9
(A is the wavelength of maximum absorption obtained in the assay).

DOI:10.1021/acsreagents.4102
© 2017 American Chemical Society B ACS Reagent Chemicals, Part 4