Method for determining impurities in polyalkylene ethers or polyalkylene amines and use thereof

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for the determination of impurities in polyalkylene ethers and polyalkylene amines comprising the steps i) introducing polyalkylene ethers or polyalkylene amines as an analyte into a chromatography column containing monolithic silica gel as a stationary phase, ii) eluting the analyte with a liquid elution agent having such a polarity that the analyte is in adsorptive equilibrium with the stationary phase during chromatography, iii) detecting the components of the analyte at the exit-side end of the chromatography column, receiving a chromatogram, which shows different components of the analyte and its qualitative amount depending on the elution time of the individual components, and iv) identifying bands in the chromatogram having a low height or area compared to the band with the largest height or area as an indication of the presence of impurities in the analyte. The method allows in an easy manner to identify impurities in the sample. The method can be used for quality control but also for the preparative cleaning of the sample.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.