Anthracene-based derivatives fluorescence detection

Nimura and Kinoshita [96] developed a derivatization technique for the analysis of fatty acids that is based on 9-anthryldiazomethane (ADAM). The latter is very stable in solution and reacts with fatty acids at room temperature without a catalyst to yield strongly fluorescent esters, which can be chromatographed on an ODS phase with acetonitrile/water mixtures. The derivatization of fatty acid is carried out with a 0.1% methanohc solution of 9-anthryldiazomethane, which is prepared via oxidation of 9-anthraldehyde-hydrazone following a procedure by Nakaya et al. [97]. The fluorescence and excitation spectra of fatty acid-methyl-anthracene esters exhibit maxima at 412 and 365 nm, respectively. As an example, Figure 8.62 shows the separation of ADAM derivatives, a mixture of saturated and unsaturated long-chain fatty acids, which can be detected down to the lowest picomole range. 

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