The nature of some solvent-derived artifact spots observed during the chromatography of adrenaline

Several spots are often detected on chromatograms obtained from solutions of a single pure P-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethanolamine derivative, such as adrenaline, particularly when the base is dissolved in strong acids prior to chromatography. The formation of some of these multiple spots can be explained by either the formation of complexes or salts, involving the catecholamine and the acids empioyed, or by the chemical modification of the catecholamine prior to chromatography. It has now been shown that substances responsible for certain artifact spots are formed by the interaction of one of the components of the chromatographic solvent system used with a reactive intermediate derived from the p-phenylethanolamine derivative being chromatographed. For example, adrenaline qz-butyl ether is formed during the chromatography of adrenaline in +butanol-hydrochloric acid solvent mixtures and p-(p-hy,- droxyphenyl)-~-(~',~'-dihydroxypl~enyl)etl~ylmetl~ylamine is one of the artifact spots observed when adrenaline is chromatographed in phenol-hydrochloric acid systems.