Gas chromatography of homologous esters

Abstract The gas chromatographic retention behaviour of the butanoyl and 2-, 3- and 4-chlorobutanoyl esters of C 3 —C 5 saturated aliphatic branched-chain and unsaturated C 3 —C 6 alcohols on SE-30 and OV-351 glass capillary columns operated iso-thermally at several temperatures is reported. Retention index increments at 80, 120 and 160°C show the effects of chain branching and the olefinic and acetylenic unsaturation in the alkyl chain and the effect of the position of the chlorine substituent in the acyl chain. The results are compared with the behaviour of the corresponding n -alkyl esters and the chlorinated propanoyl esters.