Group separation of organic nitrates on a new nitric acid ester NP-LC stationary phase

Summary The synthesis of a nitric acid ester NP-LC stationary phase (organonitrate phase), by nitrating a commercial polyol phase (Serva, Polyol Si 100, 5 μm) with mixed sulfuric-and nitric acid, is reported. The nitric acid ester bond is quite stable towards hydrolysis. To examine its possible use as a stationary phase for the group separation of alkyl nitrates, several bifunctional polar alkyl nitrates (di-nitrates, hydroxy-nitrates, keto-nitrates) have been synthesized. In order to simplify their names a new abbreviating nomenclature for multifunctional organic nitrates is presented. With our new stationary phase it is possible to separate mono-, di-, and hydroxy-nitrates as groups completely, a major advantage in sample preparation in the chemistry of smog formation. However a co-elution of di- and keto-nitrates is observed. A distinction of the latter two organonitrate groups is possible by gas chromatography-mass spectrometric detection (MSD). Apart from the fragment ion NO₂ ⁺ (m/z=46 amu), which is nearly specific for alkyl nitrates, aliphatic di- and keto-nitrates show different characteristic fragment ions.