Mass spectral determination of aldehydes, ketones, and carboxylic acids using 1,1-dimethylhydrazine.

Analyses of nanogram to milligram quantities of aliphatic aldehydes, fatty acids, and unhindered aliphatic ketones such as those typically found in pheromonal blends have been effected by treating these mixtures with 1,1-dimethylhydrazine. The aldehydes and ketones formN,N-dimethylhydrazones, while the fatty acids form methyl esters. Structural elucidation of the reaction products was achieved using EI and CI gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.