Postcolumn derivatization for chromatographic analysis of carbohydrates

Various methods for postcolumn derivatization of carbohydrates for photometric (P), fluorimetric (F) and electrochemical (E) detection are summarized. The major methods include conversion to furfurals (with strong mineral acids, reducing carbohydrates, for P), formaldehyde (with periodate, carbohydrates in general, for P and F), glycamines (by reductive amination, reducing carbohydrates, for P and F), etc., followed by condensation with appropriate chromogenic or fluorogenic reagents; direct or indirect coloration of leuco compounds (for P) or chelating agents (for P and E),respectively, by utilizing the reducibility of reducing carbohydrates; reactions with fluorogenic reagents such as alipatic amines (for F), 2-cyanoacetamide (for P, F and E), arginine (for F), benzamidines (for F), etc., in neutral or weakly alkaline media; and coloration of the condensates with hydrazino compounds in alkali (for P). The characteristic features of individual methods and their optimized conditions are reviewed.