Dicinnamalacetone was used as an indicator in measuring the surface acidity of homoionic montmorillonites by titrating certain Hammett indicators adsorbed on the clay with n-butylamine. It was also used as an indicator (yellow to bright red) for detection of excess hydrogen halides in many organic solvents (except alcohols).
Crystallise the ketone from *benzene/isooctane (1:1). The 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene complex (1:1) has m 113o (from EtOH), and the 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene complex (1:2) has m 110o (from EtOH). [Beilstein 7 H 524, 7 I 293, 7 II 484, 7 III 2756, 7 IV 1834.] The 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone has m 199-200o.
