Liquid Chromatography Applications in Heterocyclic Compound Analysis
Summary
Liquid chromatography has emerged as a fundamental tool for the separation, identification and quantification of heterocyclic compounds—organic molecules in which ring structures incorporate carbon and one or more heteroatoms. Techniques such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) enable rapid, high-resolution separations under reversed-phase or specialised conditions. By coupling these techniques with detectors ranging from photodiode arrays to tandem mass spectrometry, analysts achieve trace-level sensitivity and structural confirmation. In practical terms, liquid chromatography has underpinned the profiling of oxygen heterocycles—such as coumarins, furocoumarins and polymethoxyflavones—in foods, beverages and cosmetic formulations, as well as in environmental and pharmacokinetic studies. Recent advances in column materials, miniaturised extraction protocols and green solvents have further reduced analysis time and solvent consumption, facilitating high-throughput screening and robust quality control across pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and consumer products.
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Liquid Chromatography Applications in Heterocyclic Compound Analysis publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in liquid chromatography applications in heterocyclic compound analysis across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Liquid chromatography: Analytical technique separating compounds between a liquid mobile phase and a stationary phase based on physicochemical interactions.
Reversed-phase liquid chromatography: Mode using a non-polar stationary phase and a polar mobile phase to separate analytes by hydrophobicity.
Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC): High-resolution LC employing sub-2 µm particles for faster separations and enhanced peak capacity.
LC–MS/MS: Hyphenated method coupling liquid chromatography to tandem mass spectrometry for sensitive identification and quantification of analytes.
Coumarin: Benzopyrone heterocycle commonly found in plants, with applications in pharmaceuticals and fragrance industries.
Furocoumarin: Class of heterocycles combining fused furan and coumarin rings, noted for phototoxicity and biological activity.
Polymethoxyflavone: Flavonoid subfamily bearing multiple methoxy substituents, abundant in citrus species and valued for bioactivity.
References
- Miniaturized extraction, fast and sustainable chromatographic approach for determination of oxygen heterocyclic compounds in alcoholic beverages. Green Analytical Chemistry (2024).
- Hidden threat lurking in extensive hand hygiene during the Covid-19 pandemic: investigation of sensitizing molecules in gel products by hyphenated chromatography techniques. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry (2023).
- Extraction and Chromatographic Approaches for Coumarin, Furocoumarin, and Polymethoxyflavone Characterization in Foods. Foods (2024).
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