Detection of sodium alkanesulphonates and alkylbenzenesulphonates by polyamide thin-layer chromatography

A thin-layer chromatographic method was investigated in which two series of sodium alkanesulphonates (C4-C18) and alkylbenzenesulphonates (C0-C14) were separated. All of the compounds tested were clearly separated on polyamide layers with aqueous ammonia-pyridine and aqueous ammonia-pyridine-methanol systems and detected with high sensitivity by spraying with a pynacryptol yellow reagent and then observing under UV light (253.6nm).