Catalytic Polymerization of Phenolic Compounds by a Latosol

Twelve phenolic compounds and glycine were mixed in two different formulations, designated as A and B, and dissolved in adequate amounts of very dilute NH4OH. Formulation A contained fewer trihydroxyphenolic compounds and more dihydroxypenolic compounds than formulation B. They were added separately to two portions of a neutralized latosol low in organic matter content at five separate times. The polymerization of the compounds was catalyzed by the soil and traced by paper chromatography. At the end of this part of the experiment, the two portions of the soil were extracted with (1) benzene-95 percent alcohol: 1–1, (2) 0.1 N HC1, (3) 0.1 M Na4P2O7 at pH 7.0, and (4) 0.5 N NaOH in sequence. The model humins were also extracted after treating the soils with HC1-HF Solution. The model HAs and FAs extracted resemble the natural ones in color, solubility in acid and alkali, infrared spectra, etc. In the benzene-95 percent alcohol extract of the soil treated with formulation A, aromatic polymer was the main component, while in that treated with formulation B, aliphatic polymer predominated. The percentage of conversion of the total compounds added to the soil in the two formulations into polymers was a little over 63 percent. The nitrogen found in model HAs was 1.51–3.03 percent and in the model FAs 0.59–1.23 percent.