Pre-Column Derivatization of Amines with 1,2-Benzo-3,4-Dihydrocarbazole-9-Isopropyl Chloroformate Followed by LC-Fluorescence and LC-APCI-MS

A pre-column derivatization method for the sensitive determination of amines using the labeling reagent 1,2-benzo-3,4-dihydrocarbazole-9-isopropyl chloroformate (BCIC-Cl) followed by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection has been developed. Identification of derivatives is carried out by high performance liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (LC-APCI-MS-MS). The chromophore of 2-(9-carbazole)-ethyl chloroformate (CEOC) reagent is replaced by 1,2-benzo-3,4-dihydrocarbazole-9-isopropyl functional group, which results in a sensitive fluorescence derivatizing reagent BCIC-Cl. BCIC-Cl can easily and quickly label amines. Derivatives are stable enough to be efficiently analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography and show an intense protonated molecular ion corresponding m/z [MH]⁺ under APCI in positive-ion mode. The collision-induced dissociation of protonated molecular ion formed a product at m/z 260 corresponding to the cleavage of CH₂-OCO bond. Studies on derivatization demonstrate excellent derivative yields over the pH 9.0–10.0. Maximal yields close to 100% are observed with a 3 to 4-fold molar reagent excess. In addition, the detection responses for BCIC derivatives are compared with those obtained using CEOC and FMOC as derivatization reagents. The ratios of I_BCIC/I_CEOC and I_BCIC/I_FMOC are, respectively, 1.23–3.14 and 1.25–3.08 for fluorescent (FL) responses (here, I is relative fluorescence intensity). Separation of the derivatized amines had been optimized on reversed-phase Eclipse XDB-C₈ column. Detection limits are calculated from 1.0 pmol injection, at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3, are 10.6–37.8 fmol. The mean interday accuracy ranges from 94 to 105% for fluorescence detection with the largest mean %CV<7.5. The mean interday precision for all standards is < 6.0% of the expected concentration. Excellent linear responses are observed with coefficients of > 0.9997. Revised: 12 December 2005 and 13 Febrauary 2006     

Analysis of Five Pharmacologically Active Compounds from Rhodiola for Natural Product Drug Discovery with Capillary Electrophoresis

A rapid capillary electrophoresis method for the separation of five natural pharmacologically active compounds from extracted Rhodiola, namely salidroside, tyrosol, rhodionin, gallic acid and ethyl gallate has been developed. The separation of five natural pharmacologically active compounds was carried out in a fused-silica capillary with 14 mM boric acid, 30 mM SDS and 2.5% acetonitrile, adjusted to pH 10.7 with NaOH. Applied potential was 21kV. The temperature of the capillary was maintained at 25 °C by the instrument thermostating system, with the correlation coefficients of 0.9805–0.9989 for migration time, and relative standards of < 3.52% for peak areas. The established method is rapid and reproducible for the separation of five natural pharmacologically compounds from extracts of Rhodiola with satisfactory results.     

白刺与枸杞中微量元素含量的对比研究

采用ICP-AES法对生长在同一区域内的白刺与枸杞根茎中的8种微量元素的含量进行了分析测定。结果表明,两种植物根茎中8种元素含量丰富,并且差异明显,为以后的开发利用提供了基础数据。     

1-(2-萘基)-3-甲基-5-吡唑啉酮衍生试剂的制备及其在高效液相色谱-质谱法测定糖类化合物中的应用

以1-(2-萘基)-3-甲基-5-吡唑啉酮(NMP)作为柱前衍生试剂,建立了简单、灵敏的糖类组分的反相高效液相色谱测定方法。NMP与糖在氨为催化剂的条件下,于70 ℃下反应可获得稳定的衍生产物。在Hypersil ODS 2反相色谱柱上,实现了8种单糖的基线分离。衍生物线性相关系数均大于0.9985,检出限为0.58～1.1 pmol。利用柱后在线串联质谱的电喷雾电离正离子模式监测,获得了各组分的质谱定性及裂解规律,特别是m/z 473的特征碎片离子可作为单糖NMP衍生物的判定依据。与1-苯基-3-甲基-5-吡唑啉酮(PMP)相比,NMP对糖的衍生化具有灵敏、简单、质谱裂解规律性强、重现性好等优点。该方法用于测定油菜花粉多糖中的单糖组成,结果令人满意。     

Dual-sensitive probe 1-imidazole-2-(5-benzoacridine)-ethanone for the determination of amines in environmental water using HPLC with fluorescence detection and online atmospheric chemical ionization-mass spectrometry identification

Dual-sensitive probe of 1-imidazole-2-(5-benzoacridine)-ethanone (IBAE) for the determination of free amines with fluorescence detection and online highly sensitive atmospheric chemical ionization-mass spectrometry identification (APCI-MS) has been developed. 2-(Benzoacridine)-5-acetic acid (BAAA) reacts with coupling agent N,N′-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) to form a highly activated amide intermediate 1-imidazole-2-(5-benzoacridine)-ethanone (IBAE), which is dual-sensitive probe. The amide intermediate (IBAE) reacts preferably with amines in dimethylformamide (DMF) solvent to give the high yields of derivatives. IBAE-amine derivatives are not only sensitive to fluorescence but also to MS ionizable efficiency. The percent ionization δ values change from 0 to 57.32% in aqueous acetonitrile and from 0 to 62.14% in aqueous methanol. The relative standard deviations of the peak areas with fluorescence detection for each amine are <1.24% (40 ng/ml, n = 6). The fluorescence detection limits (at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3) are in the range of 0.15-0.50 ng/ml. The online APCI-MS detection limits are in the range of 2.07-8.51 ng/ml (at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3). Therefore, the facile IBAE intermediate derivatization allowed the development of a highly sensitive and specific method for the quantitative analysis of trace levels of amines in environmental water.     

2-(5-Benzoacridine)ethyl-p-toluenesulfonate as sensitive reagent for the determination of bile acids by HPLC with fluorescence detection and online atmospheric chemical ionization-mass spectrometric identification

2-(5-Benzoacridine)ethyl-p-toluenesulfonate (BAETS), a dual-sensitive probe, was reacted with bile acids in the presence of K₂CO₃ catalyst in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solvent to give BAETS–bile acid derivatives. Derivatives exhibited intense fluorescence (FL) with an excitation maximum at λ _ex 270 nm and an emission maximum at λ _em 510 nm. MS analysis using APCI-MS indicated that derivatives had excellent APCI-MS ionizability with percentage ionization δ values changing from 0 to 88.83% in aqueous acetonitrile and from 0 to 89.15% in aqueous methanol. The collision induced dissociation spectra of m/z [M + H]⁺ contained specific fragment ions at m/z [M + H−H₂O]⁺, [M + H−2H₂O]⁺, [M + H−3H₂O]⁺, 347.3, and 290.1. Repeatability was good for LC separation of BAETS–bile acid derivatives with aqueous acetonitrile as mobile phase. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of retention time and peak area at 6.6 nmol mL⁻¹ levels with fluorescence detection (FL) were from 0.045 to 0.072% and from 2.16 to 2.73%, respectively. Excellent linear responses were observed, with regression coefficients >0.9995. The FL detection limits (S/N = 3) were in the range of 18.0–36.1 fmol. The online APCI-MS detection limits are in the range of 500–790 fmol (at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3).     

Application of chromatography technology in the separation of active alkaloids from Hypecoum leptocarpum and their inhibitory effect on fatty acid synthase

A method that involved the combination of pH‐zone‐refining counter‐current chromatography and semipreparative reversed‐phase liquid chromatography has been established for the preparative separation of alkaloids from Hypecoum leptocarpum. From 1.2 g of crude sample, 31 mg N‐feruloyltyramine, 27 mg oxohydrastinine, 47 mg hydroprotopine, 25 mg leptopidine, and 18 mg hypecocarpine have been obtained. The structure of the new compound, hypecocarpine, is confirmed based on the analysis of spectroscopic data, including NMR, UV, and IR spectroscopy and positive electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The known chemical structures were characterized on the basis of ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The purities of the five alkaloids are all over 92.7% as determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography. The alkaloids’ cytotoxicity in breast cancer cells is assessed by using a Cell Counting Kit assay and their inhibitory effect on fatty acid synthase expression is assessed by a Western blot assay. These results suggest that leptopidine could suppress growth and induce cytotoxicity in breast cancer cells and that the cytotoxicity of leptopidine may be related to its inhibitory effect on fatty acid synthase expression.     

Enhancement of atmospheric pressure chemical ionization for the determination of free and glycine-conjugated bile acids in human serum

A highly sensitive and accurate method based on the precolumn derivatization of bile acids (BA) with a high ionization efficiency labeling reagent 1,2-benzo-3,4-dihydrocarbazole-9-ethyl-benzenesulfonate (BDEBS) coupled with LC/MS has been developed. After derivatization, BA molecules introduced a weak basic nitrogen atom into the molecular core structure that was readily ionized in commonly used acidic HPLC mobile phases. Derivatives were sufficiently stable to be efficiently analyzed by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI)-MS/MS in positive-ion mode. The MS/MS spectra of BA derivatives showed an intense protonated molecular ion at m/z [M + H]+. The collision-induced dissociation of the molecular ion produced fragment ions at [MH-H2O]+, [MH-2H2O]+, [MH-3H2O]+. The characteristic fragment ions were at m/z 320.8, 262.8, and 243.7 corresponding to a cleavage of N-CO, O-CO, and C-OCO, respectively, and bonds of derivatized molecules. The selected reaction monitoring, based on the m/z [M+H]+ --> [MH-H2O]+, [MH-2H2O]+, [MH-3H2O]+, 320.8, 262.8, and 243.7 transitions, was highly specific for the BA derivatives. The LODs for APCI in a positive-ion mode, at an S/N of 5, were 44.36-153.6 fmol. The validation results showed high accuracy in the range of 93-107% and the mean interday precision for all standards was <15% at broad linear dynamic ranges (0.0244-25 nmol/mL). Good linear responses were observed with coefficients of > 0.9935 in APCI/MS detection. Therefore, the facile BDEBS derivatization coupled with mass spectrometric analysis allowed the development of a highly sensitive and specific method for the quantitation of trace levels of the free and glycine-conjugated BA from human serum samples.     

Isolation and structure determination of a new flavone glycoside from seed residues of seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.)

In this study, a valid method was established for the isolation and purification of flavone glycosides from Hippophae rhamnoides L. seed residues using high-speed counter-current chromatography in one step, with a solvent system of ethyl acetate-methanol-n-butyl alcohol-water (9:1:0.5:9, v/v/v/v). A total of 28.8 mg compound I and 57.3 mg compound II were obtained from 200 mg of flavone H-glycosides rich extract, with purities of 98.3 and 96.4%, respectively. The structures of two compounds were identified by MS and NMR. 3-O-β-D-Sophorosylkaempferol-7-O-{3-O-[2(E)-2,6-dimethyl-6-hydroxyocta-2,7-dienoyl]}-α-L-rhamnoside is compound I and compound II named hippophanone is a new compound were identified by MS and NMR. The method was efficient and convenient, which could be used for the preparative separation of flavone glycosides from H. rhamnoides L. seed residues.     

LC-DAD-ESI-MS Characterization of Carbohydrates Using a New Labeling Reagent

A novel labeling reagent 1-(2-naphthyl)-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (NMP) coupling to liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry for the detection of carbohydrates from the derivatized rape bee pollen samples is reported. Carbohydrates are derivatized to their bis-NMP-labeled derivatives. Derivatives showed an intense protonated molecular ion at m/z [M+H]⁺ in positive-ion detection mode. The mass-to-charge ratios of characteristic fragment ions at m/z 473.0 could be used for the accurately qualitative analysis of carbohydrates. This characteristic fragment ion is from the cleavage of C2–C3 bond in carbohydrate chain giving the specific fragment ions at m/z [MH-C _m H_2m+1O _m -H₂O]⁺ for pentose, hexose and glyceraldehydes and at m/z [MH-C _m H_2m-1O _m+1-H₂O]⁺ for alduronic acids such as galacturonic acid and glucuronic acid (m = n ? 2, n is carbon number of carbohydrate). No interferences for all aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes presented in natural environmental samples were observed due to the highly specific parent mass-to-charge ratio and the characteristic fragment ions. The method, in conjunction with a gradient elution, offered a baseline resolution of carbohydrate derivatives on a reversed-phase Hypersil ODS-2 column. The carbohydrates such as mannose, galacturonic acid, glucuronic acid, rhamnose, glucose, galactose, xylose, arabinose and fucose can successfully be detected.