Identification of the decarboxylated analog of tetrabromotetrachloro-fluorescein and its quantification in the color additives D&C Red Nos. 27 and 28 (phloxine B) using high-performance liquid chromatography.

The present work describes (a) the identification and characterization of an impurity, 2,4,5,7-tetrabromo-6-hydroxy-9-(2,3,4,5-tetrachlorophenyl)-3H-xanthen-3-one (BCPX), in the color additives D&C Red Nos. 27 and 28 (phloxine B) and (b) the determination of the extent and level of BCPX contamination in certified lots of these colors. For these purposes, BCPX (a compound not previously reported in the literature) was synthetically prepared.