A Quick Guide to Derivatization

Derivatization reagents are designed to simplify chromatography by increasing sample volatility, allowing for simple GC-FID detection.

FUNCTIONAL GROUP	SILYLATION	ACYLATION	ALKYLATION
ACTIVE HYDROCARBONS	BSTFA, BSTFA/TMCS, Hydrox-Sil, MSTFA,MTBSTFA, TMSI	-	-
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS	BSTFA, Hydrox-Sil Conc, MTBSTFA, TMSI, MBDSTFA	-	DMF-DMA, TMSH
ALCOHOLS AND PHENOLS UNHINDERED AND MODERATELY HINDERED	BSTFA/TMCS, HMDS, MTBSTFA/t-BDMCS	Fluorinated anhydrides (HFBA, TFAA), HFBI, MBTFA	TMSH
ALCOHOLS AND PHENOLS HIGHLY HINDERED	BSTFA/TMCS	Fluorinated anhydrides (HFBA, TFAA), HFBI, MBTFA	DMF-DMA
AMINES PRIMARY AND SECONDARY	BSTFA, MTBSTFA/t- TMCS, MSTFA, MSHFBA, MBDSTFA	Fluorinated anhydrides (HFBA, PFPA, TFAA), HFBI, MBTFA, TPC, PFBC	-
AMIDES	BSTFA, BSTFA/TMCS, BSA,	HFBI	-
AMINO ACIDS	BSTFA, TMSI, MSTFA, MSHFBA, MBDSTFA	HFBA (+Silylation)	3N HCI in n-Butanol
CATECHOLAMINE	TMSI	Fluorinated anhydrides (HFBA, TFAA), HFBI	-
CARBOHYDRATE AND SUGARS	HMDS, TMSI, MSTFA, MSHFBA	MBTFA	-
INORGANIC ANIONS	BSTFA, MTBSTFA	-	-
NITROSAMINES	-	HFBA	-
SULFONAMIDES	BSTFA	Fluorinated anhydrides (HFBA, TFAA)	-

Resources

3N HCl in n-Butanol: 3 molar hydrogen chloride in n-butanol

BSA: N,O-bis-trimethylsilyl-acetamide

BSTFA: N,O-bis-trimethylsilyl-trifluoroacetamide

DMF-DMA: N,N-dimethylformamide dimethylacetal

HFBA: Heptafluorobutyric acid anhydride (also abbreviated HFAA)

HFBI: Heptafluorobutyrylimidazole

HMDS: Hexamethyldisilazane

MBTFA: N-methyl-bis-trifluoroacetamide

MTBSTFA: N-methyl-N-(t-butyldimethylsilyl)-trifluoroacetamide (also abbreviated as MtBSTFA)

MSTFA: N-methyl-N-trimethylsilyl-trifluoroacetamide

PFBC: Pentafluorobenzoyl chloride

PFPA: Pentafluoropropionic acid anhydride (also abbreviated PFAA)

TBDMCS: t-butyldimethylchlorosilane (also abbreviated t-BDMCS)

TFAA: Trifluoroacetic acid anhydride

TMCS: Trimethylchlorosilane

TMI: Not a derivatizing reagent, just what this table feels like.

TMSI: Trimethylsilylimidazole

TPC: N-Trifluoroacetyl-L-prolyl chloride