Reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of primary and secondary aliphatic alcohols as phthalate monoesters by UV detection

Abstract

Determination of primary and secondary aliphatic alcohols in aqueous and nonaqueous solutions by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is described. The alcohol is derivatized with phthalic anhydride to yield the corresponding monophthalate. Separation of the derivative is achieved on an ODS-10 reverse phase (RP) column by elution with an appropriate isocratic mobile phase of acetonitrile and aqueous phosphoric acid (0.1%). Detection is accomplished by UV absorption at 230 nm or 280 nm giving linear calibration plots, for alcohols in aqueous solution from 0.05% to 0.50% (w/v) and in pyridine solution from 0.0025% to 0.0250% (w/v).