Characterization of a chemical artifact in the liquid chromatographic determination of 3-butyn-2-one using the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine method

This study reports the identification of a chemical artifact occurring in the liquid chromatographic analysis of 3-butyn-2-one by means of the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) method. Besides the expected derivatization reaction to the corresponding butynone DNPhydrazone, a rearrangement was observed, thus leading to the formation of 3-methyl-1-(2′,4′-dinitrophenyl)pyrazol (DNPP). Although the rearrangement product and the hydrazone can easily be separated by means of liquid chromatography, problems arise from coelution of the pyrazol with the formaldehyde DNPhydrazone. Identification of the artifact by means of UV–Vis spectroscopy using dual wavelength or diode array detection is discussed.