Capillary gas chromatography of n-butyl and isobutyl-, n-amyl and isoamyl polyethylene glycol ethers and their derivatives

The influence of a branching and increase in the length of alkyl and polyoxyethylene chain in homologous series of n-butyl and isobutyl-, n-amyl and isoamylpolyethylene glycol ethers on the retention indices at linearly programmed temperatures of a capillary column was studied. Alkylpolyethylene glycol ethers were converted by derivatization reactions into acetates, trifluoroacetates, and trimethylsilyl ethers. The influence of the structure of the alkylpolyethylene glycol molecule and the influence of the functional groups introduced into a molecule of studied compounds were examined by means of increments of retention index. Calculated retention indices were used to identify residues of individual oligomers in the products of biodegradation.