Zerewitinoff determination

Under the Zerewitinoff reaction or Zerewitinoff reaction, refers to the determination of active hydrogen atoms in a chemical compound.

For this purpose, a methyl magnesium halide, which is a Grignard reagent, reacted with the compound to be tested. It reacts with an acidic hydrogen on a magnesium salt and the corresponding hydrocarbon. The methane is determined gas volumetrically. Compounds with acidic or active H atom can be, for example, water, alcohols, amines or alkynes.

Examples:

• General reaction of methylmagnesium bromide with water:

• General reaction of methylmagnesium bromide with an alcohol:

• Reaction of methylmagnesium iodide with propyne, the hydrogen atom on the sp carbon atom is acidic:

Named is the reaction after the Russian chemist Fyodor Vasilyevich Zerewitinow ( 1874-1947 ).