Determination of vapor pressure of low-volatility compounds using a method to obtain saturated vapor with coated capillary columns

The vapor pressures of O-ethyl S-2-diisopropylaminoethyl methylphosphonothiolate (VX), O-isobutyl S-2-diethylaminoethyl methylphosphonothiolate (RVX), and 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT) were determined with the gas saturation method in temperatures ranging from -12 to 103 degreesC, The saturated vapor was generated using a fused-silica column coated with the compound. This column was placed in a gas chromatograph, and the vapor pressure was determined directly from the detector signal or by sampling on Tenax tubes that were subsequently analyzed, From the linear relationships obtained by plotting log P vs 1/T, the enthalpies of vaporization (DeltaH(vap)) and the vapor pressures at selected temperatures were determined. The vapor pressure of VX at 25 degreesC was 0.110 Pa and the DeltaH(vap) 77.9 kJ.mol(-1). The corresponding results for RVX were 0.082 Pa and 76.6 kJ.mol(-1). The vapor pressure of 2,4-DNT at 72 degreesC (melting point) was determined to 6.0 Pa, and the enthalpies of the solid and the liquid state were 94.2 and 75.3 kJ.mol(-1), respectively. Using capillary columns to generate saturated vapors has three major advantages: short equilibrium time, low consumption of sample, and safe handling of toxic compounds.