As mandelic acid is known as a specific zirconium precipitant,it is interesting to learn whether its methylated compound,a-methoxyphenylacetic acid,also functions as a zirconium reagent.It is found experimentally that zirconium can be quantitatively thrown down as a basic a-methoxyphenylacetate,in which the mole ratio of zirconium to the reagent is 1:1,from media of pH 0.8-1.4 containing several grams of ammonium chloride.The amount of precipitant added should be about fifteen fold more than the theoretical amount required(calculated on the basis of 1:1).