Simultaneous analysis of biologically active aminoalkanephosphonic acids

A new approach for simultaneous analysis of biologically active aminoalkanephosphonic acids, namely glyphosate, phosphonoglycine, phosphonosarcosine, phosphonoalanine, phosphono-β-alanine, phosphonohomoalanine, phosphono-γ-homoalanine and glufosinate, is presented. This includes a preliminary 31P NMR analysis of these amino acids, their further derivatization to volatile phosphonates (phosphinates) by means of trifluoroacetic acid–trifluoroacetic anhydride–trimethyl orthoacetate reagent and subsequent analysis of derivatization products using MS and/or GC–MS (chemical ionization and/or electron impact ionization).