PhD Oral Defense: Mechanism of Formation and Mass Spectral Characterization for Thermally Generated Toxicants: Chloropropanols and their Esters
PhD Oral Defense of Anja Rahn, Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry
Chloropropanol (CP) esters belong to a group of well-known thermally induced contaminants derived from mono- and di-chlorinated glycerols. Presently, there are four proposed mechanisms for their formation all involving SN2 nucleophilic attack by chloride ions but differing from each other based on either the nature of the substrate or the leaving group. Two of the proposed mechanisms involve direct nucleophilic attack by the chloride ion at the glycerol carbon atoms carrying either an ester group or a protonated hydroxyl group. The alternative two pathways propose the formation of reactive intermediates such as a cyclic acyloxonium ion or an epoxide ring in the form of glycidol prior to the nucleophilic attack by chloride ions.