Tailor-made derivatizing agents for carbonyl compounds using liquid chromatography

A new approach for the synthesis and application of tailor-made derivatizin g agents for liquid chromatography is presented. The s-triazine ring serves as the backbone for these substances. Synthesis is performed in three step s based on substitution reactions of cyanuric chloride. A chromophor or flu orophor, a reactive group and a third moiety intended to modify the polarit y of the derivatizing agent are coupled to cyanuric chloride. The three gro ups may be selected freely from molecules which carry functional groups whi ch might be linked to cyanuric chloride. As an example, the synthesis and a pplication of a respective reagent for the determination of aldehydes and k etones using HPLC with fluorescence detection is carried out. Baseline sepa ration of the derivatives and low limits of detection (1.5 x 10(-9) mol/l f or formaldehyde, 2.0 x 10(-9) mol/l for acetaldehyde and 3.0 x 10(-9) mol/l for p-tolualdehyde) are obtained with the new versatile reagent. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.