Gas-liquid chromatographic determination of N(O,S)-trifluoroacetyl n-propyl esters of protein and non-protein amino acids.

Chromatographic conditions for the determination of protein and non-protein amino acids as their N(O,S)-trifluoroacetyl n-propyl esters are given which allow the separation of about 30 amino acids within 19 min using nitrogen or within 17 min using helium as the carrier gas. Retention times and responses are given for 42 amino acids or related compounds. Only few of them elute together when using a 2 m x 2 mm I.D. glass column filled with 0.65% ethylene glycol adipate on Chromosorb W AW (80-100 mesh). The acylation of the n-propyl esters was investigated with respect to optimal reaction conditions and was found to be best performed at 150 degrees C for 5 min.