title: Increasing thermospray response for cortisol by derivatization.
abstract: The 21-hydroxyl group of cortisol was selectively acetylated under mild conditions without affecting the more sterically hindered 11 beta- and 17 alpha-hydroxyl groups. The reaction was performed with a mixture of acetic anhydride and triethylamine in acetonitrile and was complete in less than 15 min at room temperature. The thermospray mass spectrum of cortisol 21-acetate showed minimal fragmentation with the [M + H]+ ion as the base peak. High sensitivity was achieved for acetylated cortisol during selected ion monitoring, the signal-to-noise ratio being increased by a factor of about 4, compared to underivatized cortisol. The limit of detection of cortisol 21-acetate was estimated at 0.24 pmol injected, making thermospray liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry competitive with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the determination of cortisol in biological fluids.
authors.affiliation: Bioanalytical Chemistry, AB Draco, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Paulson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lindberg
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: C021650:hydrocortisone acetate; D006854:Hydrocortisone