DETERMINATION OF 3,4-DIHYDROXYPHENYLETHYLENEGLYCOL IN URINE BY GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY WITH A FLAME IONIZATION DETECTOR - NEW RAPID METHOD

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylethyleneglycol, a major metabolite of noradrenaline in rat brain, is estimated alone or with 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylethyleneglycol in rat and human urine by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector. The samples are hydrolyzed and extracted at pH 2 with ethyl acetate. Then, to analyze only 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethyleneglycol the reaction with n-butaneboronic acid is carried out directly; if 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylethylene-glycol also has to be estimated, preliminary acetylation in alkaline aqueous solution is performed. The advantages of the specificity due to the reagents used is discussed. © 1979.