Rhodamine B amine as a highly sensitive fluorescence derivatization reagent for saccharides in reversed-phase liquid chromatography

6-Rhodamine B amine functions as a highly sensitive fluorescence derivatization reagent for mono- and oligosaccharides; it reacts with the reducing end of saccharides under acidic conditions. The fluorescent derivatives of five monosaccharides can be separated within 25 min by reversed-phase liquid chromatography with isocratic elution. The detection limits (S/N = 3) for mono-, di-, and oligosaccharides are 7-51, 13, and 9-35 fmol/20 microl injection, which correspond to analyte concentrations of 35-255, 65, 45-175 nM, respectively. We have applied this derivatization method successfully to the analysis of the components of oligosaccharides in glycoproteins (ribonuclease B and fetuin) following their acidic or enzymatic hydrolysis. The results from these analyses are in good agreements with the reported values established previously.     

Online photocatalytic device for highly selective pre-column fluorescence derivatization of 5-hydroxyindoles with benzylamine

A fluorimetric liquid chromatographic method for the determination of 5-hydroxyindoles based on the benzylamine derivatization process mediated through an online photocatalytic oxidation has been developed. In this study, we used a photocatalytic column comprising tefzel tubing packed with TiO₂-coated glass beads, as a pre-column derivatization reactor. The fluorescence derivatization of 5-hydroxyindoles using benzylamine proceeded during their passage through the reaction column under near-UV irradiation. The 5-hydroxyindole derivatives were separated continuously on a reversed-phase liquid chromatography within 50 min, using 100 mM acetate buffer (pH 4.6)-acetonitrile (72:28, v/v; isocratic elution) containing 3 mM sodium octanesulfonate; the samples were detected fluorimetrically at 465 nm upon excitation at 350 nm. The detection limits (signal-to-noise ratio = 3) of the 5-hydroxyindoles were in the range from 160 to 360 fmol per 5 μL injection. We have applied this method, which requires minimal sample pre-treatment, to the determination of 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid in human urine.     

3,4-dihydro-6,7-dimethoxy-4-methyl-3-oxoquinoxaline-2-carbonyl chloride as a sensitive fluorescence derivatization reagent for amines in liquid chromatography

A rapid and sensitive method for the fluorescence derivatization of primary and secondary amines is described, based on the reaction of the amines with 3,4-dihydro-6,7-dimethoxy-4-methyl- 3-oxoquinoxaline-2-carbonyl chloride. Cyclohexylamine, n-hexylamine and di-n-butylamine were used as model compounds to optimize the derivatization conditions. The reagent reacts with the amines in acetonitrile in the presence of potassium carbonate very rapidly to give the corresponding fluorescent amides, which can be separated on a reversed-phase column, TSKgel ODS-80TM, with aqueous acetonitrile as eluent. Alcohols and amino acids did not give any fluorescent products under the derivatization conditions. The detection limits are in the range 5–50 fmol per 20-μl injection. Reactions with other amines are also discussed.     

3,4-dihydro-6,7-dimethoxy-4-methyl-3-oxo-qinoxaline-2-carbonyl azide as a highly sensitive fluorescence derivatization reagent for primary,secondary and tertiary alcohols in high-performance liquid chromatography

3,4-Dhydro-6,7-dimethoxy-4-methyl-3-oxo-quinoxaline-2-carbonyl azide is a highly senstive fluorescence derivatization reagent for primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols for high-performance liquid chromatography. Reaction conditions are optimized with benzyl alcohol, n-hexanol, cyclohexanol and 2-methyl-2-butanol. The reagent reacts with the alcohols in benzene to produce the corresponding fluorescent carbamic acid esters, which can be separated on a reversed-phase column YMC Pack C₈ with aqueous methanol as eluent. the detection limits for the alchols are 2–5 fmol per 10-μl njection. The reagent also reacts with hydroxysteroids with primary, secondary and/or tertiary alcoholic group(s) to form fluorescent derivatives. Hydroxycarboxylic acids and phenols do not give any chromatographic peaks.     

1-Cyanoisoindole derivative as a highly sensitive fluorescence labelling reagent for steroidal primary alcohols in liquid chromatography

A sensitive and reactive labelling reagent for steroidal primary alcohols, m-(1-cyano-2-isoindole)benzoyl azide, was prepared from the corresponding carboxylic acid, which was synthesized from o-phthalaldehyde and m-aminobenzoic acid in the presence of potassium cyanide in one step. A hydroxysteroid, such as cortisol, can react with the reagent, when kept in benzene at 80 °C for 40 min, resulting in the formation of a urethane derivative which shows a single peak on the chromatogram and provides high sensitivity. The detection limit of the cortisol in reversed-phase chromatography is 80 fmol.     

1,2-Diamino-4,5-ethylenedioxybenzene as a highly sensitive fluorogenic reagent for aromatic aldehydes

1,2-Diamino-4,5-ethylenedioxybenzene is shown to be a highly sensitive reagent for aromatic aldehydes, especially for benzaldehydes having a hydroxy group. The reagent reacts selectively with aromatic aldehydes at pH 3.0 (phosphate buffer) within 30 min at 60°C; the products fluoresce most intensely at pH 11. In the manual method, the lower limits of detection vary from 6 pmol ml^?1 to 7 nmol ml^?2. The fluorescent derivatives of aromatic aldehydes can be separated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The fluorescent product from 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde is shown to be 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5,6-ethylenedioxybenzimidazole.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of forphenicine in mouse serum and muscle by pre-column fluorescence derivatization using 1,2-diamino-4,5-ethylenedioxybenzene as fluorogenic reagent

A simple and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the determination of forphenicine in biological samples. Forphenicine in the deproteinized sample is converted by reaction with 1,2-diamino-4,5-ethylenedioxybenzene into a fluorescent derivative. The derivative is separated on a reversed-phase column (TSK gel ODS-120T) by isocratic elution with acetonitrile-30 mM phosphate buffer (pH 6.5) (5:1, v/v) and monitored fluorimetrically. The method allows the quantification of forphenicine in serum (100 microliters) and muscle (0.1 g) of mice dosed with forphenicine or forphenicinol. The limits of detection (signal-to-noise ratio of 3) are 7.35 pmol/ml in serum and 5.36 pmol/g in muscle. The distribution of forphenicine and forphenicinol in the mouse serum and muscle after oral administration of these compounds is also described.     

An improved derivatization method for sensitive determination of fatty acids by high-performance liquid chromatography using 9-(2-hydroxylethyl)-carbazole as derivatization reagent with fluorescence detection

Summary Tagging techniques with reagents used for fluorescent detection for short and long-chain fatty acids using high-performance liquid chromatography are evaluated in terms of the tagging reactions, handing, flexibility, stability of the reagents. Emphasis is given to the applications of the tagging techniques to relatively high molecular mass fatty acids. The fatty acids or carboxylic compounds were derivatized to their corresponding esters with 9-(2-hydroxy ethyl)-carbazole (HEC) in acetonitrile at 60°C with N, N′-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) as a coupling agent in the presence of 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP). A mixture of esters of C₁−C₂₀ fatty acids was completely separated with 45 min using gradient elution on a reversed-phase C₁₈ column. The maximum fluorescence emission for the derivatized fatty acids is at 365 nm (λ_ex 293 nm). Studies on derivatization conditions indicated that fatty acids react rapidly and smoothly with HEC in the presence of CDI and DMAP in acetonitrile to give the corresponding sensitively fluorescent derivatives. The application of this method to the analysis of long chain fatty acids in plasma is also investigated. The LC separation shows good selectivity and reproducibility for fatty acids derivatives. The relative standard deviations (n=6) for each fatty acid derivative are <5.0%. The detection limits are at 38–57 fmol levels for C₁₄−C₂₀ fatty acids and lower levels for <C₁₄ fatty acids.     

2,3-Diphenylquinolizinium bromide as a fluorescent derivatization reagent for amines

2,3-Diphenylquinolizinium bromide (2,3-DPQ) is proposed as a fluorogenic reagent for amino compounds. A spectrofluorimetric method based on its use is described which allows the determination of μg ml^?1 to ng ml^?1 levels of primary and secondary amines, including aromatic and cyclic compounds. The precision of the method was 4–8% (relative standard deviation) (n=10). The influence of several external factors on the derivatization reaction was studied using piperidine as a model compound. The analytical reaction can be effected at room temperature, which avoids the degradation of labile sample amines, e.g., catecholamines, and simplifies the experimental procedure. The presence of an excess of a basic catalyst (triethylamine) was critical for the reaction to develop satisfactorily. Fluorescence due to the reaction product was detected 5 min after the start of the analytical reaction.     

5-Amino-4-sulfanylphthalhydrazide as a chemiluminescence derivatization reagent for aromatic aldehydes in liquid chromatography

5-Amino-4-sulfanylphthalhydrazide (ASPH) was synthesized as a chemiluminescence derivatization reagent for aromatic aldehydes in liquid chromatography (LC). Benzaldehyde, 4-tolualdehyde, 4-chlorobenzaldehyde, 4-formylbenzoic acid, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde and vanillin were used as model compounds to optimize the derivatization conditions. This reagent, ASPH, reacts selectively with aromatic aldehydes in the presence of sodium sulfite and disodium hydrogenphoshite in acidic medium at 100 degrees C to give the corresponding highly chemiluminescent 2-arylbenzothiazole derivatives. The resulting derivatives generated intense chemiluminescence by reaction with hydrogen peroxide and potassium hexacyanoferrate(III) in alkaline solution. The ASPH derivatives of aromatic aldehydes were separated by reversed-phase liquid chromatography with isocratic elution, and detected chemiluminometrically after mixing with oxidizing agents. The detection limits (signal-to-noise ratio = 3) for aromatic aldehydes are in the range 0.2-4.0 fmol for a 20-microl injection volume. Currently, the method is not effective for aliphatic aldehydes because of interfering LC peaks.     

1,10-Phenanthroline-5,6-dione and 9,10-phenanthrenequinone as redox mediators for amperometric glucose biosensors

In this study, two ortho-quinoidal compounds, 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione (PD) and 9,10-phenanthrenequinone (PQ), were examined as electron transfer mediators suitable for amperometric glucose biosensors. The dependences of the electrochemical responses of PD- and PQ-based amperometric glucose biosensors on varied concentrations of glucose were investigated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The PD-modified graphite rod (GR) electrode revealed a current response seven times higher than that of the PQ-modified GR electrode. The reactivity indices of ortho-quinoidals assessed by means of B3LYP functional method applying 6-311G(D) basis set showed that the electron-accepting potency for PD was markedly higher as compared with that of PQ. Compared to PQ, considerably higher reactivity of PD has been defined in the reactions with NADP⁺-ferredoxin reductase (FNR, EC 1.18.1.2) as a model single-electron transfer FAD-dependent enzyme, which provided an additional evidence for PD as a more efficient mediator compared to PQ. This study illustrates that PD can be applied as a redox mediator for glucose oxidase and it could be more suitable for a reagent-less biosensor design than PQ.     

4,5-Diaminophthalhy drazide as a highly sensitive chemiluminescence reagent for α-keto acids in liquid chromatography

4,5-Diaminophthalhydrazide dihydrochloride is studied as a highly sensitive and selective chemiluminescence derivatization reagent for α-keto acids in liquid chromatography (LC). The reagent reacts selectively with α-keto acids in dilute hydrochloric acid to give derivatives which produce chemiluminescence by reaction with hydrogen peroxide and potassium hexacyanoferrate(III). The derivatives in the reaction mixture of eight biologically important α-keto acids are separated within 50 min by reversed-phase LC with isocratic elution, followed by chemiluminescence detection. The detection limits for the acids are in the range 4–50 fmol for a 20-μl injection.     

4-(6,7-Dihydro-5,8-dioxothiazolo[4,5-g]phthalazin-2-yl)benzoic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester as a highly sensitive chemiluminescence derivatization reagent for amines in liquid chromatography

4-(6,7-Dihydro-5,8-dioxothiazolo[4,5-g]phthalazin-2-yl)benzoic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester was synthesized as a highly sensitive and selective chemiluminescence derivatization reagent for primary and secondary amines in liquid chromatography. Methyl-n-octylamine, n-nonylamine and n-decylamine were used as model compounds to optimize the derivatization, separation and chemiluminescence reaction conditions. This reagent reacts selectively with amines in the presence of triethylamine to give the highly chemiluminescent derivatives, which produce chemiluminescence by reaction with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of potassium hexacyanoferrate(III) in an alkaline medium. The chemiluminescent derivatives of the three amines can be separated within 20 min by reversed-phase liquid chromatography with isocratic elution, followed by chemiluminescence detection. The detection limits (signal-to-noise ratio=3) for primary and secondary amines are at sub-fmol levels for a 20-microl injection. Furthermore, this method was applicable to the determination of amantadine in human plasma.     

Development of a highly sensitive fluorescence probe for hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is believed to play a role in cellular signal transduction by reversible oxidation of proteins. Here, we report the design and synthesis of a novel fluorescence probe for hydrogen peroxide, utilizing a photoinduced electron transfer strategy based on benzil chemistry to control the fluorescence. The practical value of this highly sensitive and selective fluorescence probe, NBzF, was confirmed by its application to imaging of hydrogen peroxide generation in live RAW 264.7 macrophages. NBzF was also employed for live cell imaging of hydrogen peroxide generated as a signaling molecule in A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cells.     

N-methyl-N-alkylsilyltrifluoroacetamide-I2 as a new derivatization reagent for anabolic steroid control.

Analytical methods for the control of growth promoters have to be specific and sensitive. At low concentration levels, it is difficult to identify some molecules unambiguously even with the improved performance of analytical methods. GC-MS analysis of 17 beta-trenbolone and its major metabolite, 17 alpha-trenbolone, is a good example. A new derivatization agent has been developed which is based on silylation of the 3- and 17-oxygenated functions and nucleophilic substitution in the 4-position. The structure of the derivatized products was demonstrated using a simple model, cyclohex-2-en-1-one, by NMR and MS spectrometry. In contrast to data found in the literature, this derivative permitted specific mass spectra for trenbolone, sensitive signals for high mass ions and reproducible gas chromatograms to be obtained. The addition of an N(CH3)COCF3 radical to the steroid nucles allowed highly specific detection in GC-high resolution MS even following extraction from complex matrices; sensitive responses were also observed in the negative chemical ionization mode. Moreover, there are significant differences in the electron ionization mass spectra of the two stereoisomers, 17 alpha- and 17 beta-trenbolone. These preliminary results and those obtained for androsta-1,4-dien-3-one and pregna-4,6-dien-3-one indicate useful advances for the determination of steroids and potential applications for metabolism studies on such compounds.     

High performance liquid chromatography determination of cyanide in urine by pre-column fluorescence derivatization

A method for the determination of cyanide in human urine has been developed. The method is based on the reaction of cyanide with 2,3-naphthalenedialdehyde and taurine to give a fluorescent product for reversed-phase HPLC separation and fluorometric detection. After centrifugation followed by dilution of urine samples, the specimens could be analysed directly by this method. The recovery of cyanide added to urine at concentration levels of 50-1000 pmol/mL was 85-96%. The detection limit of cyanide was 30 pmol/mL in urine. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of urine from smokers and nonsmokers. The mean concentrations of cyanide were found to be 215 pmol/mL for the former and 84 pmol/mL for the latter.