2-(5-Hydrazinocarbonyl-2-thienyl) -5, 6-methylenedioxybenzofuran and 2-(5-hydrazinocarbonyl-2-furyl)-5, 6-methylenedioxybenzofuran as novel fluorescence derivatisation reagents for carboxylic acids in liquid chromatography

The new acid hydrazides, 2-(5-hydrazinocarbonyl-2-thienyl)-5,6-methylenedioxybenzofuran (TMBH) and 2-(5-hydrazin-ocarbonyl-2-furyl)-5, 6-methylenedioxybenzofuran (FMBH), were synthesized as precolumn fluorescence derivatisation reagents for carboxylic acids in liquid chromatography. These compounds readily react with carboxylic acids in the presence of a coupling reagent under mild conditions in aqueous solution to give fluorescent derivatives. The detection limits of lauric acid were both 0.1 pmol per 10 μl injection volume at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The methods in which these compounds are used were applied to the assay of a standard mixture of prostaglandins (25 μM) and prostaglandins in a human seminal fluid.