Determination of alcohols using condensation agent carbazole-9-acetyl-benzene-disulfonate by high performance liquid chromatography with pre-column fluorescence derivatization

Abstract

A sensitive LC method for the determination of alcohols, using fluorescent condensation agent carbazole-9-N-acetylbenzne-disulfonate(CABS), has been developed. A mixture of alcohols and triethylamine catalyst in dichloromethane or chloroform is treated with CABS to give quantitative yields of esters. Emission maximum for the derivatized alcohols is 365 nm (λex 335 nm). The labeled derivatives are very stable, no significant decomposition is observed after heating in 40% at 40°C for 24 h. The method, in conjunction with a multigradient program, offers baseline resolution of common alcohol derivatives on a reversed-phase C18 column. Studies on derivatization conditions indicate that primary and secondary alcohols react very fast with CABS in the presence of triethylamine in dichloromethane or chloroform to give the corresponding fluorescent derivatives. This method is more convenient and more efficient than previous methods which require prior conversion of carboxylic acids to acyl chlorides. The separation of alcohol derivatives has good reproducibility and the rsd's (n=5) for 50 pmol of each alcohol are 4%. Detection limits are at the fmol level.