2-(9-ANTHRYL)ETHYL CHLOROFORMATE - A PRECOLUMN DERIVATIZING REAGENT FOR POLYAMINES DETERMINED BY LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY AND FLUORESCENCE DETECTION

This paper describes the use of a new compound, 2-(9-anthryl)ethyl chloroformate (AEOC), as a sensitive and convenient precolumn, fluorophoric, derivatizing reagent for polyamines (putrescine, cadaverine, spermidine, and spermine) determined by liquid chromatography. Experiments were carried out to determine maximum fluorescence excitation and emission wavelengths, optimum reaction pH, calibration curves, and minimum detection limits for each of the AEOC-derivatized polyamines. The procedure was applied successfully to serum samples from healthy individuals and cancer patients and provides complete separation of derivatized polyamines from serum hydrolysate components. Detection limits for three of the AEOC-derivatized polyamines are more favourable than those reported previously for polyamines derivatized with 9-fluorenylmethyl chloroformate (FMOC).