Pyrolysis gas chromatographic analysis of alcohol polyethoxylates with hydrobromic acid cleavage of the ether linkages

Abstract

The addition of hydrobromic acid to alcohol polyethoxylates produces a sample which, when pyrolysed, undergoes efficient cleavage of the ethylene oxide adducts from the hydrophobe. Fingerprint chromatograms of the resulting alcohols permit simple identification of the source materials. The proposed method is particularly useful when more than six ethylene oxide units are present, simplifying the otherwise complicated pyrograms.