Deuteration of catecholamines, catecholamine metabolites and tryptophan metabolites

Abstract

Abstract The preparation of some deuterium labelled catecholamines, catecholamine metabolites and tryptophan metabolites is described. Simple exchange reactions in DC1/D 2 0 solution or reductions with Li Al D 4 were used. The deuterium labelled compounds prepared are suitable for use as internal standards for quantitative mass‐fragmentographic analysis of their unlabelled analogs in biological material. Mass spectra of trimethylsilyl and trimethylsilyl‐N‐trifluoroacetyl derivatives of 2,5,6‐trideutero vanillactic acid, 1,1‐dideutero‐1‐hydroxy‐2 (2,5,6‐trideutero catechol)‐ethane, 2,5,6‐trideutero epinephrine, 2,5,6‐trideutero normetanephrine and hexadeutero indole‐3‐acetic acid are given together with those of their natural occurring analogs.