High Performance Liquid Chromatography/Electrospray Ionisation and Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionisation Mass Spectrometry for the Analysis of Butylated Amino Resins

Abstract

Etherified amino resins are used in conjunction with alkyds, polyesters, epoxy or acrylic resins in coating formulation. They are formed from the reaction between formaldehyde and compounds containing NH₂ groups, for example, amide, amine or imide groups. Control of this reaction is important in order to obtain the appropriate mixture targeted for the intended use and, as a consequence, the development of analytical procedures able to describe the different species present in the final resin mixtures is necessary. The use of high-performance liquid chromatography, coupled with electrospray ionisation or atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation mass spectrometry, proved to be efficient in the characterisation of n-butylated melamine-formaldehyde resins. The same analytical approach was also applied to describe the first steps in the synthesis of i-butylated urea-formaldehyde resins.