Gas chromatographic separation of hydroxylated N-nitrosamines

Derivatives of six hydroxylated N-nitrosamines were prepared by acylation, trifluoroacylation, trimethylsilylation and methylation, and the volatilities and sensitivities of these derivatives on gas chromatographic detection were compared. All six nitrosamines were successfully derivatized by either acylation or trimethylsilylation. The acylated derivatives were easy to prepare; in addition, acylation was more specific than trimethylsilylation for the reaction with hydroxyl groups in the molecule.