GC Behavior of disaccharide trimethylsilyl oximes

Twenty-five disaccharides are converted to trimethylsilyl oximes and injected on two capillary columns of different polarities (methyl and phenyl-methyl silicone). Their Kovats retention indices are determined at three temperatures. Multivariate data analysis is used in order to obtain relations between retention and some structural features. Phenylmethyl silicone have better chromatographic characteristics for the assayed compounds. The two columns can provide useful chromatographic information when a very complex disaccharide mixture has to be analyzed.