Zerewitinoff determination
Encyclopedia
The Zerewitinoff determination or Zerevitinov determination is a quantitative chemical test
for the determination of active hydrogens in a chemical substance
. A sample is treated with the Grignard reagent
, methylmagnesium iodide, which reacts with any acidic hydrogen atom to form methane
. This gas can be determined quantitatively. For example:
Chemical test
In chemistry, a chemical test is a qualitative or quantitative procedure designed to prove the existence of, or to quantify, a chemical compound or chemical group with the aid of a specific reagent...
for the determination of active hydrogens in a chemical substance
Chemical substance
In chemistry, a chemical substance is a form of matter that has constant chemical composition and characteristic properties. It cannot be separated into components by physical separation methods, i.e. without breaking chemical bonds. They can be solids, liquids or gases.Chemical substances are...
. A sample is treated with the Grignard reagent
Grignard reaction
The Grignard reaction is an organometallic chemical reaction in which alkyl- or aryl-magnesium halides add to a carbonyl group in an aldehyde or ketone. This reaction is an important tool for the formation of carbon–carbon bonds...
, methylmagnesium iodide, which reacts with any acidic hydrogen atom to form methane
Methane
Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
. This gas can be determined quantitatively. For example:
