BENZOYLATION OF SUGARS, POLYOLS AND AMINO-ACIDS IN BIOLOGICAL-FLUIDS FOR HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS

A precolumn benzoylation for analyzing sugars, polyols and neutral ami no acids in biological fluids by high-performance liquid chromatograph y has been developed, which avoids protein precipitation, drying proce dures and the use of pyridine. Derivatization and chromatography can b e performed within one hour with a minimum detectable quantity of ca. 1 pmol (signal-to-noise ratio >2). The derivatization products of gluc ose, mannitol and neutral amino acids were identified by electrospray mass spectrometry (ES-MS) to be tetra- and pentabenzoyl glucose, penta - and hexabenzoyl mannitol and 2-phenyl-5-benzoyloxyoxazoles, respecti vely.