COLORIMETRIC DETERMINATION OF SOME AROMATIC NITROCOMPOUNDS OF PHARMACEUTICAL INTEREST

A simple colorimetric method for the determination of six nitro deriva tives, namely : furazolidone, nifuroxime, niridazole, nitrazepam, nitr ofurantoin and nitrofurazone was described. The suggested method depen ds upon the formation of orange to purple colour when these nitro comp ounds react with tetrabutylammonium hydroxide in dimethylformamide. Th e different experimental parameters were studied and incorporated into the procedure. The mean percentage recoveries ranged from 98.9 +/- 0. 3 to 100.4 +/- 0.7. The proposed method was applied to the determinati on of certain pharmaceutical dosage forms containing the studied nitro -compounds, as well as furazolidone and nifuroxime in mixture. The res ults obtained were in agreement with those obtained by official and co mpendium methods .