Spectroscopic and theoretical study of the "azo"-dye E124 in condensate phase: evidence of a dominant hydrazo form.

Spectroscopic techniques, including Raman, IR, UV/vis, and NMR were used to characterize the samples of the azo dye Ponceau 4R (also known as E124, New Coccine; Cochineal Red; C.I. no. 16255; Food Red No. 102), which is 1,3-naphthalenedisulfonic acid, 7-hydroxy-8-[(4-sulfo-1-naphthalenyl) azo] trisodium salt in aqueous solution and solid state. In addition, first principle calculations were carried out for the azo (OH) and hydrazo (NH) tautomers in order to assist in the assignment of the experimental data. The two intense bands observed in the UV/vis spectrum, centered at 332 and 507 nm, can be compared to the calculated values at 296 and 474 nm for azo and 315 and 500 nm for hydrazo isomer, with the latter in closer agreement to the experiment. The Raman spectrum is quite sensitive to tautomeric equilibrium; in solid state and aqueous solution, three bands were observed around 1574, 1515, and 1364 cm(-1), assigned to mixed modes including deltaNH + betaCH + nuCC, deltaNH + nuC horizontal lineO + nuC horizontal lineN + betaCH and nuCC vibrations, respectively. These assignments are predicted only for the NH species centered at 1606, 1554, and 1375 cm(-1). The calculated Raman spectrum for the azo (OH) tautomer showed two strong bands at 1468 (nuN = N + deltaOH) and 1324 cm(-1) (nuCC + nuC-N), which were not obtained experimentally. The (13)C NMR spectrum showed a very characteristic peak at 192 ppm assigned to the carbon bound to oxygen in the naphthol ring; the predicted values were 165 ppm for OH and 187 for NH isomer, supporting once again the predominance of NH species in solution. Therefore, all of the experimental and theoretical results strongly suggest the food dye Ponceau 4R or E124 has a major contribution of the hydrazo structure instead of the azo form as the most abundant in condensate phase.