Spectrophotometric determination of iron by using eriochrome cyanine R as extractant and color-developing agent in organic solvents was studied. The complex was extracted by PEG phase from the water solutions of pH4.5-6.5 (NaAc-HAc). The maximum absorption of the complex is at 560 nm and the molar absorptivity is 5.36 x 10(4) L x mol(-1) x cm(-1). Beers law was obeyed in the range of 0-40 microg Fe. Iron and eriochrome cyanine R formed a stable complex with a molar ratio of 1:2. The proposed method has been applied to the determination of copper in aluminium alloys with satisfactory results.