ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 October 1983
Page Count: 11

Chromophoric Labeling of Cannabinoids with 4-Dimethylaminoazobenzene-4'-Sulfonyl Chloride
Maseda, C
Research scientist, Research Laboratory of Scientific Investigation, Shimane Prefectural Police Headquarters,

Kimura, K
Professor and associate technical staffs, Shimane Medical University,

Matsubara, K
Professor and associate technical staffs, Shimane Medical University,

Fukui, Y
Professor and associate technical staffs, Shimane Medical University,

(Received 27 October 1982; accepted 8 March 1983)

Abstract

A simple and sensitive assay for the cannabinoids is presented using a dabsylation procedure. Dabsyl derivatives of Δ⁹ -tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ⁹ -THC) and cannabinol (CBN) were prepared by reacting with 4-dimethylaminoazobenzene-4'-sulfonyl chloride (dabsyl chloride) in acetone in the presence of sodium carbonate-sodium bicarbonate buffer (pH 10). Crystalline dabsylcannabinoids gave intense absorption in the visible region. With these derivatives, analysis by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were tested. These techniques gave good separation and nanogram detection of dabsyl-THC and -CBN by using n-hexane-ethyl acetate-diethylamine (20: 5: 1) for TLC and MeOH—H²0 (95 : 5) at 450 nm for HPLC.

Keywords:
toxicology, marihuana, chromatographic analysis, dabsylation, cannabinoids, dabsyl-THC, dabsyl-CBN

Paper ID: JFS11599J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS11599J
ASTM International is a member of CrossRef.