Analysis of benzodiazepines. II. High-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection after molecular rearrangement to acridanones.

A molecular rearrangement of benzophenones (hydrolysis products of 1,4-benzodiazepines) to 9-acridones has been studied. The compounds synthesized were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a fluorescence detector, because of their high luminescence. The method, which can detect sixteen benzodiazepines simultaneously, is highly sensitive and adequately specific. It is reliable for the analysis of these compounds in biological samples at therapeutic concentrations.