Detection at the picogram level of bis(cyclopentadienyl)ruthenium by gas chromatography - flame photometry

• Published in: Canadian journal of chemistry 1989-05, Vol.67 (5), p.897-901
• Main Authors: Sun, Xun-Yun, Aue, Walter A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analytical chemistry; Chemistry; Chromatographic methods and physical methods associated with chromatography; Exact sciences and technology; Gas chromatographic methods
• ISSN: 0008-4042; 1480-3291
• DOI: 10.1139/v89-138

Ruthenocene bis(cyclopentadienyl)ruthenium can be determined with surprisingly high sensitivity and selectivity by gas chromatography - flame photometry. The detector's response relies mainly on an unidentified emission system (RuH?) with major peaks at 484 and 528 nm, while some familiar atomic lines show up as well. Without interference filter, the minimum detectable amount of ruthenocene, at S/N = 2, is approximately 2 pg (or 2 × 10 −13  g/s or 1 × 10 −15  mol/s), the elemental selectivity ruthenium/carbon 4 × 10 5 , and the linear range 1:4 × 10 4 . These calibration characteristics place ruthenium among the strongest luminescing and best performing species in the flame photometric detector. In fact, under conditions optimized for ruthenocene, ruthenium responds stronger than other FPD-active atoms (Sn, P, Cr, S, B). Fortunately, quenching effects are very weak: for instance, it takes about 1600 ppm (v/v) of methane in the detector to reduce the ruthenocene peak height by 50%.Keywords: ruthenocene, gas chromatography, flame photometric detector, ruthenium hydride.