Synthesis and Chromatographic Determination of S-Nitrosopantetheine: Exploring Reactivity and Stability in Different Aqueous Solutions

S-nitrosothiols (RSNOs) are a group of sulfur-containing compounds biologically involved in nitric oxide (NO) release and signalling pathway. NO plays important physiological and pharmacological activities, particularly in vasodilation and in inducing muscle relaxation. Several RSNO compounds have been detected in biological systems, and many of them have been chemically synthesized in the laboratory. To date, no works describing the synthesis of the S-nitrosopantetheine (SNOPANT) are reported in the literature. Taking into account that pantetheine is a biological thiol with a crucial function in metabolism, its nitrosylation in vivo could play a role in various metabolic signalling pathways. In this paper, the synthesis and the chromatographic determination of SNOPANT is reported for the first time, as well as a brief investigation of its reactivity in aqueous solutions in the presence of factors known to affect its stability.