High performance thin-layer chromatography–mass spectrometry of Japanese knotweed flavan-3-ols and proanthocyanidins on silica gel plates

On-line elution based TLC-MS is now a well-established technique, but the quality of the data obtained can sometimes be hampered by a severe spectral background or by strong ion suppression, especially when silica gel plates are used in combination with an acidic modifier in the developing solvent. We solved this issue simply and efficiently using two pre-developments of the plates, firstly with methanol-formic acid (10:1, v/v) and secondly with...