Analysis of non-derivatized 2-(4-R-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-[(2-hydroxyphenyl)methyl]ethanamine using short column gas chromatography - mass spectrometry

The 25R-NBOH family is a group of thermally labile compounds that are relevant for forensic sciences and traditionally analyzed by GC-MS after derivatization - a step that is time consuming in a routine work. In this paper, the use of short analytical columns (4 and 10 m) showed to decrease compound degradation in the GC oven during chromatographic separation and to allow the analysis of non-derivatized 25R-NBOH compounds by GC-MS. A shorter column demanded a higher gas flow rate, and both factors decreased residence time of the analytes in the column and their degradation. The inlet temperature (250 degrees C or 280 degrees C) did not impact the response of 25R-NBOH. A 25R-NBOH fragmentation pathway by electron ionization was also presented for the first time. The GC-MS method with a 4 m column was successfully applied to other compounds of forensic interest, and it can be tested in the analysis of biological samples in toxicological investigations. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.