Gas Chromatographic Separation of Phytoecdysones

Abstract

Preparation of derivatives of the insect moulting hormones ecdysone and phytoecdysones for use in GLC separation was studied. Ecdysones are partially silylated with trimethylsilylimidazole at room temperature and completely silylated at 100°. Both derivatives show single sharp peaks, and the structure of the derivatives were determined by mass spectrometry. Heptafluorobutyryl derivatives of ecdysones can be prepared by exchange reaction between trimethylsilyl and heptafluorobutyryl moeties, which can be identified and determined by GLC at the nanogram or picogram level. GLC analysis of these derivatives are useful for investigation of those hormones in plants and also in biological systems.