Trichloroacetic anhydride is reported to be an efficient derivatization reagent, since it produces stable derivatives having both a higher mass fragmentation pattern and lesser volatility than derivatives of trifluoroacetic anhydride (TFAA) or heptafluorobutyric anhydride (HFBA). The interaction of thymidine 5′-phosphate with trichloroacetic anhydride in dimethylformamide and acetonitrile in the presence of tertiary amines hs been studied.

Trichloroacetic anhydride may be used as derivatization reagent for the following studies:

• Simultaneous analysis of amphetamine, methamphetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or Ecstasy) in urine samples by solid-phase extraction, derivatization and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.
• Analysis of halogenated amphetamines in brain tissue from rats by gas chromatography with electron-capture detection (GC-ECD).
• Quantitative determination of the metabolites of l-alpha-acetylmethadol (LAAM), such as noracetylmethadol, dinoracetylmethadol, methadol and normethadol by electron capture gas-liquid chromatography.