Mass spectral and HPLC analysis of biological compounds with diphenylborinic acid

Diphenylborinic acid is shown to react with a variety of polyfunctional molecules of biological interest to give products which are easily identifiable by mass spectrometry. The diphenylborinate adducts of amino acids possess extraordinary stability and are separable by reverse phase chromatography. The stability of products is discussed with regard to the nature and stereochemical arrangement of the functional groups involved in complex formation.