Exploring The Benefits Of Automated Unattended Sample Derivatization Prior To Gas Chromatography Analysis
Sample derivatization is often used in GC and GC/MS analyses, to enhance the volatility of certain compounds.
Strong intermolecular attractions between polar groups such as NH, SH or OH, groups can create hydrogen bonds that lead to molecular attraction and reduce volatility. Replacing hydrogen in these groups by alkylation, acylation, or silylation significantly increases volatility, especially in compounds with multiple polar groups. Typically, the replacement of active hydrogens with trimethylsilyl groups leads to volatile derivatives that can readily undergo GC analysis.
A typical silylation reaction requires the addition of a reagent such as MSTFA, TMCS, or BSTFA in presence of a base in an anhydrous and heated environment and may last several minutes. The length of the reaction, and the fact that often these additions of liquid reagents must be carried out manually are downsides of the process and negatively affect overall laboratory throughput.
The introduction of a system capable of handling much of the sample preparation process automatically can increase laboratory throughput and free the operator from the most tedious, time-consuming and error-prone steps.
The Thermo Scientific™ TriPlus™ RSH autosampler is an example of such a system.
The TriPlus RSH autosampler is a versatile automatic sampling platform that is also capable of advanced sample preparation cycles, enabling excellent precision and reproducibility and ensuring unattended and reliable operations.
Strong intermolecular attractions between polar groups such as NH, SH or OH, groups can create hydrogen bonds that lead to molecular attraction and reduce volatility. Replacing hydrogen in these groups by alkylation, acylation, or silylation significantly increases volatility, especially in compounds with multiple polar groups. Typically, the replacement of active hydrogens with trimethylsilyl groups leads to volatile derivatives that can readily undergo GC analysis.
A typical silylation reaction requires the addition of a reagent such as MSTFA, TMCS, or BSTFA in presence of a base in an anhydrous and heated environment and may last several minutes. The length of the reaction, and the fact that often these additions of liquid reagents must be carried out manually are downsides of the process and negatively affect overall laboratory throughput.
The introduction of a system capable of handling much of the sample preparation process automatically can increase laboratory throughput and free the operator from the most tedious, time-consuming and error-prone steps.
The Thermo Scientific™ TriPlus™ RSH autosampler is an example of such a system.
The TriPlus RSH autosampler is a versatile automatic sampling platform that is also capable of advanced sample preparation cycles, enabling excellent precision and reproducibility and ensuring unattended and reliable operations.
