2,4,6-Triphenylpyrylium Cations as Derivatization Reagents for Sulfide Ions Detection in TLC

Abstract

We report a study of the use of 2,4,6-triphenylpyrylium salts as derivatization reagents for the simple detection of sulfide ions in thin-layer chromatography (TLC). The principle of the presented method is based on the transformation of 2,4,6-triphenylpyrylium compounds into the parent thiopyrylium derivatives upon reaction with sulfide ions. The derivatization reaction took place in a tube or directly on the TLC plate before the developing step. As a consequence of the reaction of sulfide with the 2,4,6-triphenylpyrylium derivatives, the spots became visible as yellow or blue spots on a colorless background. Spots were stable for several hours. The detection limit is at pmol per spot level and depends on the triphenylpyrylium salt used and on the detection method.

Keywords:

• Sulfide ions detection
• TLC
• 2,4,6-triphenylpyrylium salts

Dedicated to Professor Marian Mikołajczyk, CBMiM PAN in Łódź, Poland, on the occasion of his 70th birthday.

Financial support from the University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland, is gratefully acknowledged.

The present affiliation for A.U. is Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland.

Notes

^a For the chromatographic system, see Table I.

^b Not tested.