IR vs UV-VIS spectrophotometry for qualitative anal. chem. ?

[Limpet_Chicken]

So, I've been after getting my mitts on a secondhand spectrophotometer. Not really sure what would suit my needs better though. NMR and GC/MS obviously, but these are WAY out of my price range, even second hand.

Viable options are UV-VIS, IR- and raman.

What it would be wanted for is analysis of complex reaction mixtures, checking purity of isolated compounds, and isolating things from natural sources, but mainly for org chem work, following rxn progress etc.

Suggestions?

And, another question-are there any places that contract out induction-coupled plasma mass spec analysis for metals, inc. isotope profiling? Again, not something I could afford to set up for myself, and I have quite limited use for it (wanting to build a cyclotron, so it would be perfect for profiling of transuranics.)

 

[nuke]

So, I've been after getting my mitts on a secondhand spectrophotometer. Not really sure what would suit my needs better though. NMR and GC/MS obviously, but these are WAY out of my price range, even second hand.

Viable options are UV-VIS, IR- and raman.

What it would be wanted for is analysis of complex reaction mixtures,

TLC

checking purity of isolated compounds,

IR or UV-VIS as long as you have reference spectra. TLC Rf for supporting identification.

and isolating things from natural sources,

TLC again

but mainly for org chem work, following rxn progress etc.

TLC again. Although you can watch for the disappearance of characteristic peaks on UV-VIS or IR spectra.

And, another question-are there any places that contract out induction-coupled plasma mass spec analysis for metals, inc. isotope profiling? Again, not something I could afford to set up for myself, and I have quite limited use for it (wanting to build a cyclotron, so it would be perfect for profiling of transuranics.)

No idea, ICPMS tends to be expensive and well guarded equipment though

If you're really interested in qualitative analysis with separation and want something fairly cheap ($6K or so) look into capillary electrophoresis with coupled UV/Vis analysis after separation. I worked on some of this equipment in a urinalysis lab for drug testing and you'd be surprised how well it can work when you're trying to ID compounds (as long as you have references and know it can only be a list of certain compounds).

 

[sekio]

You don't want a spectrometer, you want a chromatograph / TLC set up.

 

[Limpet_Chicken]

I am already aware of chromatography, but of course, thanks for the advice regardless.

Well guarded? lol, I was not thinking of breaking in anywhere and half-inching an ICP/MS

But paying somebody with one for the analyses.