A direct volumetric method for the analysis of soap

Summary Glycol, or preferably its mixture with a solvent for hydrocarbons, such as isopropyl alcohol or chloroform, possesses high solvent power for soaps, which may be directly titrated with strong acids, either potentiometrically or with the use of methyl red or methyl orange. The ionization of the organic acid is suppressed so that salts of weak acids can be directly titrated by this method. The colors of the indicators are brighter and the end-point sharper than those in alcohol or water. Presented at the 19th Annual Fall Meeting of The American Oil Chemists’ Society, Nov. 7–9, 1945, in Chicago. Bristol-Myers Company post-doctorate fellow in chemistry.