Capillary gas chromatography of polychlorinated benzonitriles (PCBN)

Polychlorinated benzonitriles (PCBN) are products of combustion chemistry and can be emitted from municipal waste incinerators. Their possible relevance to environmental chemistry has not previously been described, with the exception of the herbicide 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile. The isomer-specific separation and detection of the 19 PCBN congeners is performed by KRGC-ECD and HRGC-MSD. Commercially unavailable congeners were synthesized from chlorinated anilines and benzaldehydes. Retention data on three different stationary phases are given. Structure-retention relationships are discussed. A structure-specific systematic numbering of the 19 PCBN congeners is suggested.