AUTOMATION OF PRE-COLUMN DERIVATIZATION IN HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY - APPLICATION TO ION-PAIR PARTITION CHROMATOGRAPHY

An automated pre-column derivatization system is described. Problems arising from the coupling of this AutoAnalyzer-type system with high-performance liquid chromatography are discussed in detail. The system has been applied to ion- pair partition chromatography. The ion-pairs of a mixture of some alkaloids (apoatropine, hyoscyamine, scopolamine and ergotamine) were formed with picric acid in an aqueous phase, extracted into chloroform and injected on-line on to a silica gel column for separation within 15 minutes. This study demonstrates the possibility of obtaining an automated pre-column derivatization system with a good relative standard deviation of <3% per injection (n = 6). The linearity of the system for hyoscyamine and ergotamine is significant in the concentration ranges of 80-200 ng and 240-720 ng per injection, respectively. The experience gained is of general validity and could generated more studies in this area. © 1978.