ANALYSIS OF TEA FLAVANOLS BY GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY OF THEIR TRIMETHYLSILYL DERIVATIVES

An accurate quantitative gas chromatographic method for the determination of tea flavanols as their trimethylsilyl ethers is described. Two sets of isothermal conditions are used to separate the derivatives on an 8-foot glass column packed with 3% OV-1 supported on 60-80 mesh Gas Chrom Q. The method is convenient and accuracy and reproducibility are good. Pure TMS ether calibration standards were not commercially available nor could they be successfully prepared. The need for pure standards was overcome through the unique use of a gas density balance detector to determine directly the exact yield of the derivatization reaction. © 1969, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.