The following table lists the most common indicators together with their pH range and colors in acidic and basic media. Because the color change is not instantaneous at the pKa value, a pH range is given where a combination of colors is present. This pH range, which varies between indicators, generally falls between the pKa with a spread or uncertainty of 1 pH unit. All solutions are either aqueous or ethanol/aqueous (% ethanol, vol/vol) (Refs. 1–4). Reference 4 provides additional solution properties that are related to buffer and solvent properties, and Ref. 5 lists the exact quantities needed for the indicator solutions. Column definitions for the table are as follows.
Column heading | Definition |
Name | Name of acid-base indicator; names are listed alphabetically |
Synonym | Common synonym of indicator |
pH Range | Range of pHs at which indicators turn color (see discussion above) |
Solvent | Name of solvent |
Color change (acidic to basic) | Change of color as solution goes from more acidic (low end of pH range) to more basic (high end of pH range) |
Name | Synonym | Mol. form. | CAS Reg. No. | pH Range | Solvent | Color change (acidic to basic) |
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Crystal Violet | Gentian Violet | C25H30ClN3 | 548-62-9 | 0.0-2.0 | Aqueous | yellow to blue-violet |
Pentamethoxy Red | 2,4,2',4',2"-Pentamethoxytriphenylcarbinol | C24H26O6 | 1755-51-7 | 1.2-2.3 | 70% ethanol | red-violet to colorless |
Thymol Blue | C27H30O5S | 76-61-9 | 1.2-2.8 | Aqueous | red to yellow | |
4'-Anilinoazobenzene-4-sulfonic acid, sodium salt | Tropaeolin OO | C18H14N3NaO3S | 554-73-4 | 1.3-3.2 | Aqueous | red to yellow |
2,4-Dinitrophenol | C6H4N2O5 | 51-28-5 | 2.4-4.0 | 50% ethanol | colorless to yellow | |
4-(Dimethylamino)azobenzene | Methyl Yellow | C14H15N3 | 60-11-7 | 2.9-4.0 | 90% ethanol | red to yellow |
Methyl Orange | Sodium p-dimethylaminoazobenzenesulfonate | C14H14N3NaO3S | 547-58-0 | 3.1-4.4 | Aqueous | red to orange |
Bromophenol Blue | Bromphenol Blue | C19H10Br4O5S | 115-39-9 | 3.0-4.6 | Aqueous | yellow to blue-violet |
Tetrabromophenol Blue | C19H6Br8O5S | 4430-25-5 | 3.0-4.6 | Aqueous | yellow to blue | |
Congo Red | C32H22N6Na2O6S2 | 573-58-0 | 3.0-5.0 | Aqueous | blue-violet to red | |
4-(Phenylazo)-1-naphthalenamine | α-Naphthyl Red | C16H13N3 | 131-22-6 | 3.7-5.0 | 70% ethanol | red to yellow |
Alizarin Red S | Sodium alizarinesulfonate | C14H7NaO7S | 130-22-3 | 3.7-5.2 | Aqueous | yellow to violet |
Etoxazene | p-Ethoxychrysoidine | C14H16N4O | 94-10-0 | 3.5-5.5 | Aqueous | red to yellow |
Bromocresol Green | 3,3',5,5'-Tetrabromo-m-cresolsulfonephthalein | C21H14Br4O5S | 76-60-8 | 4.0-5.6 | Aqueous | yellow to blue |
Methyl Red | Benzoic acid, 2-[[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]azo]- | C15H15N3O2 | 493-52-7 | 4.4-6.2 | Aqueous | red to yellow |
Bromocresol Purple | Bromcresol Purple | C21H16Br2O5S | 115-40-2 | 5.2-6.8 | Aqueous | yellow to purple |
4-Nitrophenol | C6H5NO3 | 100-02-7 | 5.0-7.0 | Aqueous | colorless to yellow | |
Chlorophenol Red | C19H12Cl2O5S | 4430-20-0 | 5.4-6.8 | Aqueous | yellow to red | |
Azolitmin | 1395-18-2 | 5.0-8.0 | Aqueous | red to blue |