Use of ethyl ethers, deuteriomethyl ethers and cyclic n-butylboronates of hydroxychlorobiphenyls in identification of metabolites of polychlorinated biphenyls.

The mass spectra and gas chromatographic properties of a number of chlorobiphenylols, chlorobiphenyldiols, chlorophenols and naphthols, as well as their methyl, deuteriomethyl and ethyl ethers and some cyclic n-butylboronates have been investigated. Metabolism experiments with 4'-chloro-4-biphenylol showed that the selective use of ethylation and methylation is most effective in both detection and structure elucidation of metabolites partly methylated by metabolic processes. The usefulness of deuteriomethylation in such studies seems to be limited. The formation of cyclic n-butylboronates provides specific information on o-dihydroxy derivatives of chlorobiphenyls.