Reagents for Silylation - BSTFA, SILYL-991 To improve volatility, for better thermal stability or low limits of detectability in gas chromatography prerequisites: quantitative, rapid and reproducible formation only on derivatives halogen atoms introduced by derivatization (e.g., trifluoroacetates) allow specific detections (ECD) with the advantage of high sensitivity elution order and fragmentation patterns in MS can be affected by specific derivatization silylation, alkylation (methylation)-acylation reagents are available. N,O-bis-trimethylsilyl-trifluoroacetamide m.w. 257.4, Bp 40°C (12 mm Hg), density d20°/4° = 0.961 BSTFA: R = CF3potent trimethylsilyl donor with approximately the same donor strength as the non-fluorinated BSA analogue Advantage of BSTFA over BSA: higher volatility of its reaction products (especially useful for GC of some TMS amino acids at low boiling point) BSTFA is non-polar (less polarer than MSTFA), and can be mixed with acetonitrile to improve solubility. For amide silylation of fatty acids, hindered hydroxides and other compounds, which are difficult to silylate ( such as alcohols and secondary amines), we recommend BSTFA + 1 % trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS), available under the name SILYL-991. Description BSTFA 1 ml capacity