Tamiri T, Zitrin S
Biomed Environ Mass Spectrom. 1987 Jan;14(1):39-42. doi: 10.1002/bms.1200140109.
The application of gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to three thermally labile phenylurea pesticides is reported. Using alcohols as solvents the decomposition of the pesticides is followed by a reaction in which esters of N-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)carbamic acid are formed. As these reactions occur during the gas chromatographic analysis, it is the esters which are identified in the mass spectrometer. The methyl ester is itself a pesticide so an erroneous conclusion about the original pesticide could be reached when methanol is the solvent.
