[wutkung]

I have a question on how to determine the present of menthol

I am doing the lab synthesis of m-cresol to menthol, and i only know that IR spectrum can be used to determine if i actually get menthol.

Chromatography is another ways i am thinking of , but i don't know how to perform the gas chromatography

If there are more ways than i know of, please inform me. And please tell me how to set up gas chrom .. i have all the equipment in lab.

thank you for helping again  

[Dude]

You will likely have to do two different steps to synthesize menthol (alkylation and then hydrogenation).  Therefore, the simplest and most powerful purity analysis method is thin layer chromatography.  Gas chromatography is excellent for purity analysis down to ppm levels.  Most likely, your gas chromatograph has a flame ionization detector.  In this case, you will have to plumb gas lines (usually copper or steel 1/8" tubing) from a helium source, a compressed air source and a hydrogen source (cylinders presumably unless your lab is set up with "house" gases).  Additionally, you will have to extract the signal from the FID into some type of chromatography software (if your lucky, you'll have Chemstation also).  It is a bit more complicated than a simple plug in if your GC isn't already hooked up.  I'd call Agilent (1-800-227-9770) and ask for technical assistance (or whichever company made the GC).