| Abstract: | The organosilicone surfactant Silwet L‐77® (L‐77), used as an agrochemical adjuvant, is a mixture comprised predominantly of (CH3)3SiO]2? (CH3)Si? (CH2)3? (OCH2CH2)n? OCH3 oligomers (n = 3–16, average n ≈ 7.5). The commercially available L‐77 mixture was purified by reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to obtain individual trisiloxane surfactant components. Pure oligomers (n = 3, 6 and 9) were also synthesized. Synthesis was achieved by hydrosilylation of monomeric ethoxylate monomethyl ether starting reagents. Pure hexa‐ and nona‐ethylene glycols were produced by condensation of smaller oligomers. Atmospheric‐pressure ionization mass spectrometry (MS) methods were used to characterize fully the commercial L‐77 product and synthesized or isolated components. The application of Fourier‐transform ion cyclotron resonance MS and online HPLC–electrospray ionization MS techniques to the analysis of this surfactant are described here. The application of these analytical techniques also enabled elucidation of the synthetic by‐products present in the commercial formulation. In addition, physico‐chemical properties specific to agrochemical uses, such as droplet spread areas on plant foliage and surface tension for the different oligomer solutions, are also reported. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
