TFA — Trifluoroacetic Acid
Cleavage and Analysis Reagent
Definition
TFA (trifluoroacetic acid) is a strong organic acid used for peptide cleavage from resin and as an ion-pairing agent in HPLC mobile phases.
Specifications
| Parameter | Typical Value |
| Purity | ≥99% (HPLC grade for analysis) |
| Boiling point | 72.4 °C |
| pKa | 0.23 |
| Grade | Synthesis grade (cleavage), HPLC grade (mobile phase) |
Applications
| Application | Typical Use |
| Peptide cleavage | 90–95% in cleavage cocktail |
| Global deprotection | Removes side-chain protecting groups |
| HPLC mobile phase | 0.05–0.1% in water and acetonitrile |
| Peptide salt form | TFA counter-ion in final product |
What Safety Precautions Apply to TFA?
| Hazard | Precaution |
| Corrosive | Acid-resistant gloves, goggles |
| Toxic | Fume hood mandatory |
| Lachrymator | Causes eye irritation |
- Cleavage and Analysis Reagent — Review the section above for key parameters, methods, and quality criteria.
- What Safety Precautions Apply to TFA? — See the section for detailed parameters and specifications.
Key Takeaways
- Cleavage and Analysis Reagent — Review the section above for key parameters, methods, and quality criteria.
- Definition — Review the section above for key parameters, methods, and quality criteria.
- Specifications — Review the section above for key parameters, methods, and quality criteria.
- Applications — Review the section above for key parameters, methods, and quality criteria.
🔗 Related: Cleavage Process | Acetonitrile | Purification