Simultaneous analysis of biologically active aminoalkanephosphonic acids

A new approach for simultaneous analysis of biologically active aminoalkanephosphonic acids, namely glyphosate, phosphonoglycine, phosphonosarcosine, phosphonoalanine, phosphono-beta-alanine, phosphonohomoalanine, phosphono-gamma-homoalanine and glufosinate, is presented. This includes a preliminary P-31 NMR analysis of these amino acids, their further derivatization to volatile phosphonates (phosphinates) by means of trifluoroacetic acid-trifluoroacetic anhydride-trimethyl orthoacetate reagent and subsequent analysis of derivatization products using MS and/or GC-MS (chemical ionization and/or electron impact ionization). (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.