Chromatographic and chromatospectral characteristic of dicarboxylic acid monoesters

Monoalkyl esters of benzene-1,2-dicarboxylic (phthalic) acid have not been reliably characterized by analytical parameters for their chromatographic and chromatospectral identification. Mass spectra of a series of monoalkyl phthalates (R = C₁–C₈) are discussed; their gas chromatographic retention indices on the RTX-5 polydimethylsiloxane stationary phase (5% phenyl groups) are determined. A linear dependence of indices on the number of carbon atoms in n-alkyl fragments of molecules and a correlation between the indices of any monoalkyl phthalates and corresponding diesters were used for the control of the data obtained. Using the last correlation, we found that most part of index values of mono (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate given in literature is wrong and, therefore, the results of identification of this compound in various samples must be revised. It was found that simplest monoalkyl phthalates are unstable during gas chromatographic separation, which may result in distortions of their mass spectra. To compare with monoalkyl phthalates, a similar series of monoesters of (Z)-butenedioic (maleic) acid was characterized. Retention indices of monoalkyl phthalates in reversed phase HPLC were determined and discussed.