MTBSTFA

MTBSTFA
Names
IUPAC name
N-[tert-Butyl(dimethyl)silyl]-2,2,2-trifluoro-N-methylacetamide
Systematic IUPAC name
N-(tert-Butyldimethylsilyl)-N-methyltrifluoroacetamide
Other names
N-(t-Butyldimethylsilyl)-N-methyltrifluoroacetamide
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChEBI
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.116.249 Edit this at Wikidata
EC Number
  • 616-455-9
  • InChI=1S/C9H18F3NOSi/c1-8(2,3)15(5,6)13(4)7(14)9(10,11)12/h1-6H3
    Key: QRKUHYFDBWGLHJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N
  • O=C(N(C)[Si](C)(C)C(C)(C)C)C(F)(F)F
Properties
C9H18F3NOSi
Molar mass 241.329 g·mol−1
Appearance colorless
Density 1.023 g/mL
Melting point 168–170 °C (334–338 °F; 441–443 K)
Hazards
GHS labelling:
GHS02: FlammableGHS07: Exclamation mark
Warning
H226, H315, H319, H335
P210, P233, P240, P241, P242, P243, P261, P264, P264+P265, P271, P280, P302+P352, P303+P361+P353, P304+P340, P305+P351+P338, P319, P321, P332+P317, P337+P317, P362+P364, P370+P378, P403+P233, P403+P235, P405, P501
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).

MTBSTFA (systematic name N-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-N-methyltrifluoroacetamide) is a reagent used for derivatizing compounds to make them easier to analyze by gas chromatography. It is one of several reagents used to covalently link alkylsilyl groups to certain functional groups of the compound to be analyzed. The resulting analytes are less polar and are less susceptible to hydrogen bonding. MTBSTFA adds t-butyldimethylsilyl to convert, for example, alcohols to tert-butyldimethylsilyl ethers. MTBSTFA, and the structurally related BSTFA that adds trimethylsilyl groups, are the two most commonly used silyl derivatizing agents.

MTBSTFA is being used on the Curiosity Mars rover as part of experiments analyzing the composition of rock samples to search for organic molecules.

References

  1. ↑ PubChem. "N-Methyl-N-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide". pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 2026-04-23.
  2. ↑ Schummer, C.; Delhomme, O.; Appenzeller, B.; Wennig, R.; Millet, M. (2009). "Comparison of MTBSTFA and BSTFA in derivatization reactions of polar compounds prior to GC/MS analysis". Talanta. 77 (4): 1473–1482. Bibcode:2009Talan..77.1473S. doi:10.1016/j.talanta.2008.09.043. PMID 19084667.
  3. ↑ "Sols 2880-2882: MSL's SAM TMAH A-Okay! - NASA Science". 2020-09-11. Retrieved 2026-04-22.