Determination of carbon-14 in the methoxyl group of organic compounds

Abstract

A technique for the simultaneous determination of methoxyl value and methoxyl-14C radioactivity in relabeled compounds is described. A compound which contains the methoxyl group is refluxed with Kirsten's reagent and methyl iodide generated is introduced into an absorption tube containing silica gel. After the methyl iodide has been weighed, the radioactivity of methyl iodide-14C is measured by either gas proportional or liquid scintillation counting. In the former, methyl iodide liberated from the absorption tube by heating is introduced into a dry combustion tube and carbon dioxide collected after the combustion is assayed. In the