9.1 Introduction

The analysis of mono-, di-, tri- and tetra-alkylated organotin compounds in environmental samples is becoming increasingly important.

The EC priority pollutants list contains eight organotin compounds which can be analysed after derivatization by capillary gas chromatography/atomic emission detection (CGC/AED) or capillary gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (CGC/MS). The methods described are applicable for the analysis of organo-metallic micropollutants in general e.g. organolead, organomercury and organo-arsenic compounds.

9.2 Compounds
Methyltin trichloride	Tributyltin oxide	(EC)
Dimethyltin dichloride	Tributyltin salts
Trimethyltin chloride	Tetrapropyltin
Tripropyltin chloride	Tetrabutyltin	(EC)
Dipropyltin dichloride	Tetrapentyltin
Butyltin trichloride	Triphenyltin acetate	(EC)
Dibutyltin dichloride (EC)	Triphenyltin chloride	(EC)
Dibutyltin oxide (EC)	Triphenyltin hydroxide	(EC)
Dibutyltin salts (EC)
(EC): Included on the European Community Priority Pollutants		list.

9.3 General Procedure

Water is acidified and extracted with a complexing agent, such as a tropolone or a sodium diethyl dithiocarbamate (NaDDTC) solution. The organotin compounds are derivatized to the tetra-alkyl compounds with a Grignard reagent and are analysed by CGC/AED at the 303.4 nm tin emission line or by CGC/MS operated in the ion monitoring mode.

Organotin Compounds 9 187

The following abbreviations are used for the organotin derivatives*:

Derivatization with PeMgBr (b) Derivative Abbreviation

Compound

Methyltin trichloride Dimethyltin dichloride Trimethyltin chloride Dipropyltin dichloride Tripropyltin chloride Butyltin trichloride Dibutyltin dichloride Dibutyltin oxide Dibutyltin salts Tributyltin oxide Tributyltin salts Tetrapropyltin Tetrabutyltin Tetrapentyltin Triphenyltin acetate Triphenyltin chloride Triphenyltin hydroxide

Derivatization with MeMgBr (a) Derivative Abbrevation

Tetramethyltin	TeMT	Methyltripentyltin	MMT
Tetramethyltin	TeMT	Dimethyldipentyltin	DMT
Tetramethyltin	TeMT	Trimethylpentyltin	TMT
Dipropyldimethyltin	DPrT	Dipropyldipentyltin	DPrT
Tripropylmethyltin	TPrT	Tripropylpentyltin	TPrT
Butyltrimethyltin	МВТ	Butyltripentyltin	МВТ
Dibutyldimethyltin	DBT	Dibutyldipentyltin	DBT
Dibutyldimethyltin	DBT	Dibutyldipentyltin	DBT
Dibutyldimethyltin	DBT	Dibutyldipentyltin	DBT
Tributylmethyltin	TBT	Tributylpentyltin	TBT
Tributylmethyltin	TBT	Tributylpentyltin	TBT
Tetrapropyltin	TePrT	Tetrapropyltin	TePrT
Tetrabutyltin	TeBT	Tetrabutyltin	TeBT
Tetrapentyltin	TePT	Tetrapentyltin	TePT
Triphenylmethyltin	TPhT	Triphenylp entyltin	TPhT
Triphenylmethyltin	TPhT	Triphenylpentyltin	TPhT
Triphenylmethyltin	TPhT	Triphenylpentyltin	TPhT

(a): methylmagnesium bromide (b): pentylmagnesium bromide

* abbreviations used in literature, mostly no information on R of the Grignard reagent.

Figure 9.1: Organotin compounds.

188

9 Organotin compounds