Simultaneous analysis of biologically active aminoalkanephosphonic acids

Abstract A new approach for simultaneous analysis of biologically active aminoalkanephosphonic acids, namely glyphosate, phosphonoglycine, phosphonosarcosine, phosphonoalanine, phosphono-β-alanine, phosphonohomoalanine, phosphono-γ-homoalanine and glufosinate, is presented. This includes a preliminary 31 P 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).