The Separation, Identification, and Quantitation of Cannabinoids and Their t-Butyldimethylsilyl, Trimethylsilylacetate, and Diethylphosphate Derivatives Using High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography, Gas-Liquid Chromatography, and Mass Spectrometry

Methods for the separation, identification, and quantitation, of cannabinoids present in hashish have been developed. These methods include high-pressure liquid chromatographic and gas-liquid chromatographic separation of cannabinol, δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol, and cannabinol as well as their t-butyldimethylsilyl ether and trimethylsilylacetate derivatives. The necessity for internal standards; the sensitivity of the HPLC method; and some mass spectral fragmentation pathways for the t-butyldimethylsilyl, trimethylsilylacetate, and diethylphosphate derivatives are discussed.