Identification and structure elucidation of a p-phenoxybenzaldehyde in bamboo shoots by HPLC-ESI/MS/MS and NMR

In this study, a derivative of p-phenoxybenzaldehyde in bamboo shoots was investigated. Bamboo shoots were ground and extracted with water, and an aqueous suspension was purified by SPE using Oasis HLB cartridges. After the SPE procedure, the analytes were analyzed by HPLC with refractive index detection (HPLC-RI). In the HPLC-RI analysis for sucralose, a putative sucralose was detected. In the subsequent HPLC-PDA analysis, the suspicious peak showed a unique UV absorption spectrum with the maximum wavelength at 285 nm indicating the existence of an aromatic ring. The contents of the unknown compound in bamboo shoot products ranged from 0.01 to 0.15 mg/g. The identity of the unknown compound was further confirmed by HPLC-ESI/MS/MS. The molecular weight of the unknown compound was determined to be 244. The chemical structure of the unknown compound was elucidated on the basis of NMR spectroscopic analyses ((1)H, (13)C, DEPT, COSY, HMQC, and HMBC). Finally, the structure of the unknown compound was characterized as 4-(4-dihydroxymethylphenoxy)benzaldehyde.