Hi!

I'm looking for information about techniques for derivatizing amino acids with PITC. Where I live I don't have very much means to search with, but I would appreciate if someone knows a reference. I need to analyze amino acid composition or food samples like fish, shrimp, etc.

Thank you

PITC reacts with amino acids to form phenylthiohydantoins which can be detected at 254 and 269 nm. You might want to have a look at J. Chromatography (1985) vol. 326, pp.321+

Another reatcion with PITC is forming phenylthiocarbamoyl (PTC) derivatives. You can make the reagent consisting of ethanol/triethylamine/water/PITC (7:1:1:1 v/v/v/v by vol.). Stored under argon at -20 deg. C. React the dried sample or extract for 5 mins at room temp., evaporate under vacuum and resuspend in 0.01M sodium acetate (pH 6.4), vortex and remix with DCM. Use aqueous phase for C18 HPLC with 254nm detection

For more info, take a look at

J. chromatogr. (1986) vol. 377, pp.155+ and,

J. Chromatogr. (1990) vol. 449, pp.557+

Good luck. Hopes this helps.

Thanks. I appreciate it very much