Quasi-quantitative separation of paraffins and olefins

Abstract

By the addition of iodine monochloride to a mixture of paraffins and olefins, an easy chromatographic separation on silica gel of the two is made possible by virtue of the olefin adduct being much more strongly adsorbed. The olefins are regenerated by refluxing the halogenated derivative with ethanol and excess sodium iodide.

The efficacy of the method has been proved on the total aliphatics of low temperature tars and on pairs of pure n-paraffins and 1-olefins of the same carbon number. The small losses incurred are almost entirely in the olefins.