Abstract
The tert-butyldimethylsilyl (tBDMS) derivatives of borate, sulfate, phosphite, arsenite, vanadate, phosphate and arsenate were formed by reaction of these anions, as their ammonium salts, with N-methyl-N-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide (MTBSTFA) in N,N-dimethylformamide. Under dry nitrogen, derivatives were stable for over one week at room temperature and all derivatives were amenable to gas chromatographic analysis. Analysis of the tBDMS derivatives of sulfate and phosphate by mass spectrometry indicates their molecular formulas to be (tBDMS)2SO4 and (tBDMS)3PO4, respectively. Each tBDMS-anion derivatives yielded a mass spectrum possessing a unique mass minus 57 fragment ion that served as the base peak.