4-Hydroxyphenylacetic acid derivatives of inositol from dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) root characterised using LC–SPE–NMR and LC–MS techniques

LC–SPE–NMR and LC–MS/MS were used to isolate and characterise a series of di and tri-4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid inositol derivatives from dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) root. •Six new 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid derivatives of inositol were isolated.•LC–SPE–NMR was used to isolate inositol derivatives from Taraxacum officinale root.•Structures were elucidated by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The combination of hyphenated techniques, LC–SPE–NMR and LC–MS, to isolate and identify minor isomeric compounds from an ethyl acetate fraction of Taraxacum officinale root was employed in this study. Two distinct fractions of 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid derivatives of inositol were isolated and characterised by spectroscopic methods. The 1H NMR spectra and MS data revealed two groups of compounds, one of which were derivatives of the di-4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid derivative of the inositol compound tetrahydroxy-5-[2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)acetyl] oxycyclohexyl-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl) acetate, while the other group consisted of similar tri-substituted inositol derivatives. For both fractions the derivatives of inositols vary in the number of 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid groups present and their position and geometry on the inositol ring. In total, three di-substituted and three tri-substituted 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid inositol derivates were identified for the first time along with a further two previously reported di-substituted inositol derivatives.