Structural influences on the amperometric detection of opiates in high-performance liquid chromatography

The oxidation reactions of a series of opiates occurring at a glassy-carbon electrode in amperometric high-performance liquid chromatographic detection has been investigated. A structure-reactivity correlation has been drawn for morphone, morphinan and benzomorphan derivatives. Polarography and hydrodynamic voltammography were used to show the importance of phenolic groups to this reaction. Acyl substitution on the phenol did not prevent amperometric detection.