A post-column extraction system for the determination of tertiary amines by liquid chromatography with chemiluminescence detection

Summary The combination of an ion-pair extraction detection system with peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence detection has been investigated. Ion-pairs of protonated tertiary amines with a chemiluminescent counter ion are on-line post-column extracted to 1,2-dichloroethane containing bis(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)oxalate (TCPO). Hydrogen peroxide is added to the organic phase by means of a solid-state perhydrit reactor. The influence of the base catalyst (imidazole) on the chemiluminescence reaction in apolar solvents was studied. Some sulfonated chemiluminophores were compared with respect to their chemiluminescence, ion-pairing and extraction properties, and 5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonate was found to be the most suitable reagent. The detection limit of the potential drug secoverine is in the sub-nanogram range.