Studies on uronic acid materials—V: The thermal decarboxylation method of analysis

Abstract The thermal decarboxylation method of determining uronic acids, proposed by Perlin, has been investigated. A specially designed oven, having good temperature stability, enabled the thermal decomposition of various compounds to be studied kinetically, with good reproducibility. Comparatively large errors can arise in the determination of the carbon dioxide evolved; these errors originate in the nature of the other volatile reaction products. Typical results are presented, and it is concluded that thermal decarboxylation does not compare favourably with the 150-min acid decarboxylation as a general analytical method.