“…5c) (Ribeiro et al, 2009;El-Yazbi et al, 1993a;El-Kommos, 1987;El-Yazbi et al, 1984;El-Yazbi et al, 1993b;El-Yazbi et al, 1999;El-Ragehy et al, 2001;Sowjanya et al, 2011;Anthon & Barrett, 2004;Granja et al, 2018). On oxidation of MBTH with the oxidant, Fe(III) chloride, MBTH loses two electrons and one proton resulting in the formation of the active coupling species called electrophilic intermediate (Ribeiro et al, 2009;El-Yazbi et al, 1993a;El-Kommos, 1987;El-Yazbi et al, 1984;El-Yazbi et al, 1993b;El-Yazbi et al, 1999;El-Ragehy et al, 2001;Sowjanya et al, 2011;Anthon & Barrett, 2004;Granja et al, 2018). The carbon atom with maximum electron density in VP is attacked by the electrophile (Scheme 2) yielding the deep blue product with a specific absorption maximum at 709 nm specific to VP (Ribeiro et al, 2009;El-Yazbi et al, 1993a;El-Kommos, 1987;El-Yazbi et al, 1984;El-Yazbi et al, 1993b;El-Yazbi et al, 1999;El-Ragehy et al, 2001;Sowjanya et al, 2011;Anthon & Barrett, 2004;Granja et al, 2018).…”