Clinical Chemistry
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Clinical Chemistry 21: 130-133, 1975;
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Clinical Chemistry, Vol 21, 130-133, Copyright © 1975 by the American Association for Clinical Chemistry

Chemical Basis and Specificity of Chemical Screening Tests for Urinary Vanilmandelic Acid

Joseph A. Knight 1, S. Fronk 1, and R. E. Haymond 1

1 Department of Pathology, Primary Children's Medical Center, 320 12th Ave., Salt Lake City, Utah 84103.

The most common metabolite of neural crest tumors is vanilmandelic acid. There have recently been several screening tests for this substance in urine, in which diazotized aromatic amines couple with it to produce colored azo dyes. The general opinion has been that these tests are very nonspecific, yet little has been written concerning the exact chemical basis of the reaction with respect to biological compounds. We have examined this reaction in some detail, using p-nitroaniline as the diazotized amine, and found it to be surprisingly selective with respect to the chemical configuration of the compounds with which it couples to produce the characteristic violet color interpreted as a positive result. The important structural feature of most of these compounds is that they contain a hydroxymethyl group attached to the guaiacol nucleus, as seen in 3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol.


Key Words: neural crest tumors • pheochromocytoma • neuroblastoma • screening • diagnostic aid

Accepted on October 21, 1974






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Copyright © 1975 by the American Association for Clinical Chemistry.