Abstract
DURING a study of the oxidative polymerization of phenols1, experiments with phenolic monomers included observations on the air oxidation of pyrogallol. The end-product of pyrogallol oxidation is accepted to be the hydroxylated benztropolone, purpurogallin2, which is characterized by two ultraviolet absorption maxima, 270–275 mµ and 310–320 mµ. and a visible maximum in the region of 425 mµ. We have found that purpurogallin is neither the sole nor the terminal product of pyrogallol oxidation, and it is not formed during slow oxidation in homogeneous systems. The present account describes some features of pyrogallol autoxidation reflecting upon the nature of the reaction, and on its biological significance as well, and constitutes in part, a basis for work now in progress on surface-directed polymerization of pyrogallol.
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References
Siegel, S. M., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 79, 1628 (1957).
Maehly, A. C., in “Methods of Biochemical Analysis”, Glick, D., ed., 1 (Interscience Pub. Co., New York, 1954).
Siegel, S. M., and Siegel, B. Z., Nature, 179, 421 (1957).
Siegel, S. M., and Galston, A. W., Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 54, 102 (1955).
Galston, A. W., and Siegel, S. M., Science, 120, 1070 (1954).
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SIEGEL, S., SIEGEL, B. Autoxidation of Pyrogallol : General Characteristics and Inhibition by Catalase. Nature 181, 1153–1154 (1958). https://doi.org/10.1038/1811153a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/1811153a0
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