Analysis of the antidepressant phenelzine in brain tissue and urine using electron-capture gas chromatography

A novel gas chromatographic method for the analysis of the antidepressant phenelzine has been developed. The procedure involves extraction with a liquid ion-pairing compound, back-extraction with HCl, basification, and derivatization with pentafluorobenzoyl chloride. The dipentafluorobenzoyl derivative (structure confirmed by mass spectrometry) is separated and analyzed on a gas chromatograph equipped with a fused silica capillary column and an electron-capture detector. The procedure has been utilized for quantitation of phenelzine in brain of phenelzine-treated rats and in urine from human subjects receiving phenelzine.