Behaviour of ferroin indicator in iron(ii)- dichromate titrations A Critical study.
A critical evaluation has been made of the optimum conditions for a successful direct and reverse titration of iron(II) with dichromate, with ferroin as indicator, taking into account the influence of acidity, the catalytic effect of iron(III) and the induction effect of the iron(II)-dichromate reaction on the indicator oxidation reaction. The difference in the behaviour of the indicator in the direct and reverse titrations is believed to be due to the presence of a slow : step in the indicator oxidation mechanism ; this is however surmounted in the reverse titration, making it possible to use the indicator even in a 2N sulphuric add medium for this titration. The higher potentials recorded in the reverse titration are believed to be due to the oxide film on the platinum metal electrode. While iron(III) seems to help lower the kinetic barrier of the slow step sufficiently in the indicator oxidation mechanism, the ferriin-ferroin system seems to help m a similar way toe establishment of a more positive potential of the Ct(VI)/Cr(III) system at the platinum electrode in me direct titration; this value explains the feasibility of the direct visual titration in 2N sulphuric acid, although the colour change at the end-point is slow for other reasons.
Sriramam
K
K
Department of Chemistry, Andhra University Postgraduate Centre, Guntur-5 (A.P., India.