Chapter 5 – Organic Analysis 3 common analytical techniques used in organic analysis: 1. Chromatography 2. Spectrophotometry 3. Mass Spectrometry
Chromatography – a technique used to separate the components of a mixture by their attraction to a stationary phase while being propelled by a moving phase, usually based on their polarities. -the components that are attracted to the moving phase will pull ahead of those components attracted to the stationary phase. -chromatogram = a written record of the separation -useful for identifying various organic mixtures, such as illicit drugs
Types of chromatography Paper – Stationary phase = paper, mobile phase = a liquid solvent advantage: easy to do, cheap disadvantage: not very sensitive
2) Gas Chromatography (GC) – the stationary phase is a liquid in a column, the mobile phase is a gas (called the carrier gas) the chromatogram will have a peak for each component. Advantages: very sensitive, quantitative results Disadvantage: the sample must be heated
3) HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography) – the stationary phase contains little solid particles, the mobile phase is a liquid advantages: same as GC plus the process takes place at room temp
4) Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) – like paper chromatography, but the solid phase is a glass plate coated with granular material Advantages: fast, cheap, more sensitive than paper Disadvantage: cannot provide an absolute identification
5) Electrophoresis -- uses an electrical potential to separate molecules on a gel-like support medium Advantages: very useful for separating proteins and DNA
Electrophoresis results
Spectrophotometry = an analytical method of identifying a substance by its selective absorption of different wavelengths of light.
A Spectrophotometer
A spectrophotometer produces a graph called an absorption spectrum, that shows the absorption of light as a function of wavelength or frequency.
3. Mass Spectrometry – takes components separated by a GC, and ionizes the particles, causing them to decompose into small fragments. These small fragments produce a unique pattern. Used mainly in the identification of drugs.