Spectrophotometric determination of cerium(IV) using a phenothiazine derivative

A simple, rapid and sensitive spectrophotometric method has been proposed for the determination of cerium(IV) using a phenothiazine derivative, propionyl promazine phosphate (PPP). This method is based on the formation of a red-colored radical cation upon a reaction of PPP with cerium(IV) in a phosphoric acid medium having maximum absorbance at 513 nm. Beer's law is valid over the concentration range of I - 11 mug/ml with a Sandell's sensitivity value of 16.14 ng/cm(2). The proposed method has been successfully applied to the analysis of magnesium-base cerium alloys and synthetic mixtures corresponding to various cerium alloys. Other phenothiazine derivatives viz. butaperazine dimaleate and propericiazine were also used for the determination of cerium(IV).