Chromatography Forum

Hello all,
As all ways I need your help, in this case I am trying to develop a procedure for analysis of folic acid in flour, I really dont know how to treat my sample, wich could be my best solid phase?
I have a procedure that involve tetrabuthyl amonium hydrogen sulfate as IP reagent but I don't have it and for me is very dificult to get it, so maybe could substitud it by other salt may be tetramethylchloride?. I would like to know your opinion on the matter, or if any body have a good method?

Thanks in advance.

Oscar Cortes.

The last time I needed tetrabutylammonium hydrogen sulfate, I titrated TBAOH with H2SO4. You need a hydrophobic cation, and you want the anion not to be hydrophobic. Phosphate would be a reasonable substitute for sulfate; bromide, iodide or perchlorate would not. If you can't get Bu4N+ salts, you still need something of similar hydrophobicity; this is speculation, but maybe dodecyltrimethylammonium would work.

Thanks Mark Tracy, it is a real problem to try to get some reagent in Central America, we have a lot of problems for get reagents, even 25 grs bottles!! I will see if some of colegues have dodecyltrimethylammonium, I saw another procedure that use heptanesulfonate and TEA, it could this cause the same efect for the folic acid separation or is another kind of mecanism? because in this case I have a an hydrophobic anion.

My other big problem is my sample treatment procedure, I hope any one can help me.

Thanks alot.