Simultaneous enantiomeric analysis of pharmacologically active compounds in environmental samples by chiral LC–MS/MS with a macrocyclic antibiotic stationary phase

This paper presents a multi‐residue method for direct enantioselective separation of chiral pharmacologically active compounds in environmental matrices. The method is based on chiral liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry detection. Simultaneous chiral discrimination was achieved with a macrocyclic glycopeptide‐based column with antibiotic teicoplanin as a chiral selector working under reverse phase mode. For the first time, enantioresolution was reported for metabolites of ibuprofen: carboxyibuprofen and 2‐hydroxyibuprofen with this chiral stationary phase. Moreover, enantiomers of chloramphenicol, ibuprofen, ifosfamide, indoprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen and praziquantel were also resolved. The overall performance of the method was satisfactory in terms of linearity, precision, accuracy and limits of detection. The method was successfully applied for monitoring of pharmacologically active compounds at enantiomeric level in influent and effluent wastewater and in river water. In addition, the chiral recognition and analytical performance of the teicoplanin‐based column was critically compared with that of the α₁‐acid glycoprotein chiral stationary phase. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Detection and Separation of Free Amino Acid Enantiomers by Capillary Electrophoresis with a Chiral Crown Ether and Indirect Photometric Detection

18-Crown-6 tetracarboxylic acid (18C6H₄) has been successfully used as a chiral selector for capillary electrophoretic (CE), high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC), and gas chromatographic (GC) separation of the enantiomers of DL-amino compounds. We have previously used X-ray crystallographic analysis and HPLC with an immobilized 18C6H₄ chiral stationary phase to study chiral recognition by 18C6H₄ of several DL amino acids (DL-AA). In this study CE was used for chiral recognition of several DL-AA in electrolyte solution containing 18C6H₄, in which the analyte (D or L amino acid) interacts freely. Among 14 DL-AA investigated, the enantiomers of nine (Glu, Ile, Met, PheG, Phe, Ser, Tyr, Val, and Thr) were successfully recognized in 4-15 mM 18C6H₄. Indirect photometric detection with a cationic dye, chrysoidine, was used to monitor non-chromophoric DL-AA. Among nine successfully recognized DL-AA, the D forms of Ser, Thr and Met migrated faster than the corresponding L forms. The strengths of interactions predicted from the order of migration of each enantiomer in CE were different from those in HPLC analysis. The different enantiomer recognition probably can be ascribed to the difference between CE in which the selector is not immobilized and HPLC in which the selector is immobilized by means of a spacer.     

Chiral recognition of peptide enantiomers by cinchona alkaloid derived chiral selectors: mechanistic investigations by liquid chromatography, NMR spectroscopy, and molecular modeling

The chiral recognition mechanism of a cinchona alkaloid based chiral selector for N-protected peptide enantiomers was investigated. A chiral stationary phase derived from this selector was employed for liquid chromatographic enantiomer separations. It showed exceptionally high enantiomer discrimination for the (all-R)- and (all-S)-enantiomers of dialanine (alpha = 20), while a pronounced loss of chiral recognition occurred upon the insertion of an additional alanine residue into the peptide backbone. This reduction of enantioselectivity was investigated in great detail by NMR spectroscopy of complexes of the chiral selector and the analyte enantiomers accompanied by molecular modeling studies. Investigation of intramolecular NOEs provided the conformational states of the free and complexed forms of the selector. The analysis of complexation-induced shifts yielded information on intermolecular interactions and allowed us to propose binding models, which were further supported by the observation of intermolecular NOEs, indicating the relative arrangements of selector and analytes. Stochastic molecular dynamics simulations were able to reproduce the chromatographic retention orders and energy differences, as well as the intermolecular NOEs. The computational data were used to evaluate the intermolecular forces responsible for analyte binding. In addition, the relative contributions of the fragments of the chiral selector to the enantioselective binding event were assessed. A spatial arrangement of the chiral selector and the analyte allowing the primary ionic interaction as well as hydrogen bonding and pi-pi-stacking to take place simultaneously was found to be essential to obtain very high enantioselectivities.     

Extension of chromatographically derived chiral recognition systems to chiral recognition and enantiomer analysis by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Chiral recognition by positive ion electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry is demonstrated through the adaptation of chromatographically derived chiral recognition systems. Solutions of soluble analogues of chiral selectors used in Pirkle-type chiral stationary phases, when mixed with a chiral analyte, whose enantiomers are known to be resolved on the analogous chiral stationary phase, are shown to afford selector–analyte complexes in the mass spectrum. Pseudo-enantiomeric chiral selectors, where each pseudo-enantiomer has a different mass and a higher affinity for the opposite analyte enantiomer of its pseudo-antipode, were prepared. When mixed with a chiral analyte, solutions of these pseudo-enantiomeric selectors afford selector–analyte complexes in the ESI-mass spectrum where the relative intensities of the selector–analyte complexes are dependent on the enantiomeric composition of the analyte. Additionally, the sense of the observed chiral recognition is in agreement with the sense of chiral recognition observed chromatographically.     

Efficient applications of capillary electrophoresis-tandem mass spectrometry to the analysis of adrenoreceptor antagonist enantiomers using a partial filling technique

Throughout the separation of chiral basic drugs by capillary electrophoresis (CE) with neutral hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD) as chiral selector, the sensitivity of detection can be improved by using tandem mass spectrometric (MS-MS) detection with a partial filling technique rather than with UV spectrometric detection. Prior to sample injection. the capillary was partly filled with HP-beta-CD dissolved in volatile ammonium formate buffer (pH 4, ionic strength 50 mM). The effects of modifying the HP-beta-CD concentration in the selector zone and the length of the separation zone on the enantioresolution and the signal-to-noise ratio of the pseudo-molecular MH+ ion were investigated. For a given selector zone length, as the concentration of the neutral cyclodextrin increases, the resolution between enantiomers becomes higher (the opposite of the behavior of the signal-to-noise ratio) and then reaches an optimum value. The decrease of the selector zone length lowered the resolution between the enantiomers but increased peak efficiencies and signal-to-noise ratio values. Accordingly, partial capillary filling at 80% (v/v) and 10 mM concentration of HP-beta-CD was selected as a suitable compromise between resolution and sensitivity of MS detection. Limits of detection for each adrenoreceptor antagonist enantiomer were 5 ng/ml (0.02 microM) in CE-MS-MS instead of 150 ng/ml (0.60 microM) in CE-UV, which enhances sensitivity by a factor of 30.     

Simultaneous contactless conductivity detection and UV detection for the study of separation of tamsulosin enantiomers in discontinuous electrolyte systems by CE

This work shows the potential of using discontinuous electrolyte systems for the separation of tamsulosin enantiomers by CE. Sulfated beta-cyclodextrin was used as a chiral selector. In acidic electrolytes, sulfated beta-cyclodextrin migrates as an anion and the analyte (tamsulosin) migrates as a cation. Due to this, four experimental arrangements were proposed. These arrangements differ in composition of electrolytes in the inlet compartment, in the capillary and in the outlet compartment. The separation of tamsulosin enantiomers in acetate buffers with sodium and Tris counterions was studied. Simultaneous contactless conductivity detection and UV detection were used for the study of the separation mechanism in these systems. Mobilities of sulfated beta-cyclodextrin were used for the calculation of the time when the analyte migrates through the BGE zone with the selector. The simulation program Simul 4.0 was used for the calculations of the concentration profiles of the electrolyte components dependent on the time of the separation. The mechanism of enantioseparation in these arrangements was suggested.     

Development of a temperature gradient focusing method for in situ extraterrestrial biomarker analysis

Scanning temperature gradient focusing (TGF) is a recently described technique for the simultaneous concentration and separation of charged analytes. It allows for high analyte peak capacities and low LODs in microcolumn electrophoretic separations. In this paper, we present the application of scanning TGF for chiral separations of amino acids. Using a mixture of seven carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester-labeled amino acids (including five chiral amino acids) which constitute the Mars7 standard, we show that scanning TGF is a very simple and efficient method for chiral separations. The modulation of TGF separation parameters (temperature window, pressure scan rate, temperature range, and chiral selector concentration) allows optimization of peak efficiencies and analyte resolutions. The use of hydroxypropyl-beta-CD at low concentration (1-5 mmol/L) as a chiral selector, with an appropriate pressure scan rate ( -0.25 Pa/s) and with a low temperature range (3-25 degrees C over 1 cm) provided high resolution between enantiomers (Rs >1.5 for each pair of enantiomers) using a short, 4 cm long capillary. With these new results, the scanning TGF method appears to be a viable method for in situ trace biomarker analysis for future missions to Mars or other solar system bodies.     

Chiral separation of bupivacaine enantiomers by capillary electrophoresis partial-filling technique with human serum albumin as chiral selector

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is a powerful technique for enantiomer separations due to its intrinsic high separation efficiencies, speed of analysis, low reagent consumption and small sample requirements. However, some chiral selectors present strong background UV absorption providing high detection limits. The present paper deals with the application of the partial-filling technique to the separation of bupivacaine enantiomers by capillary electrophoresis using human serum albumin (HSA) as chiral selector. In this procedure the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) was used as a dinamic capillary coating in order to reduce the electro-osmotic flow and detect both bupivacaine enantiomers out of the chiral selector plug. Several experimental conditions such as CTAB concentration, pH, HSA concentration and plug length, background electrolyte concentration, temperature and voltage were studied. Under the selected conditions it is possible to detect the separated enantiomers out of the HSA plug in less than 4 min using 50 mM Tris pH 8 as background electrolyte with 50 microM CTAB, at 30 degrees C and using a separation voltage of 25 kV. The proposed methodology was then validated for analytical purposes and applied to the analysis of pharmaceutical preparations commercially available. The results obtained with the proposed methodology were in good agreement with those declared by the manufacturers. The simplicity, sample throughput, accuracy, reproducibility and low cost of the proposed method make it suitable for the control of the enantiomeric composition of bupivacaine in pharmaceuticals.     

Use of chiral amino acid ester‐based ionic liquids as chiral selectors in CE

In this study, the applicability of a chiral ionic liquid (CIL) as the sole chiral selector in CE was investigated for the first time. In particular, five amino acid ester‐based CILs were synthesized and used as additives in the BGE in order to evaluate their chiral recognition ability. The performance of these CILs as the sole chiral selectors was evaluated by using 1,1′‐binaphthyl‐2,2‐diylhydrogenphosphate (BNP) as the analyte and by comparing the resolution values. Different parameters were examined, such as the alkyl group bulkiness and the configuration of the cation, the anion type of the CIL and its concentration, and the pH of the BGE, in order to optimize the separation of the enantiomers and to demonstrate the effect that each parameter has on the chiral‐recognition ability of the CIL. Baseline separation of BNP within 13 min was achieved by using a BGE of 100 mM Tris/10 mM sodium tetraboratedecahydrate (pH 8) and a chiral selector of 60 mM l ‐alanine tert butyl ester lactate. The run‐to‐run and batch‐to‐batch reproducibilities were also evaluated by computing the %RSD values of the EOF and the two enantiomer peaks. In both cases, very good reproducibilities were observed, since all %RSD values were below 1%.     

Quantification of enantiomers by mass spectrometry based on chemical derivatization and spectral shape deformation quantitative theory

A facile mass spectrometric kinetic method for quantitative analysis of chiral compounds was developed by integrating mass spectrometry based on chemical derivatization and the spectral shape deformation quantitative theory. Chemical derivatization was employed to introduce diastereomeric environments to the chiral compounds of interest, resulting in different abundance distribution patterns of fragment ions of the derivatization products of enantiomers in mass spectrometry. The quantitative information of the chiral compounds of interest was extracted from complex mass spectral data by an advanced calibration model derived based on the spectral shape deformation quantitative theory. The performance of the proposed method was tested on the quantitative analysis of R‐propranolol in propranolol tablets. Experimental results demonstrated that it could achieve accurate and precise concentration ratio predictions for R‐propranolol with an average relative predictive error (ARPE) of about 4%, considerably better than the corresponding results of the mass spectrometric method based on chemical derivatization and the univariate ratiometric model (ARPE: about 12%). The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of the proposed method for the concentration ratio of R‐propranolol were estimated to be 1.5% and 6.0%, respectively. The proposed method is complementary to the existing methods designed for the quantification of enantiomers such as the Cooks kinetic method.     

Analysis of enantiomers in biological matrices by charged cyclodextrin-mediated capillary zone electrophoresis in column-coupling arrangement with capillary isotachophoresis

The possibility to apply charged chiral selector as buffer additive in capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) on-line coupled with capillary isotachophoresis (CITP) was studied. Enantioseparations and determinations of trace (ng/ml) antihistaminic drugs [pheniramine (PHM), dimethindene (DIM), dioxopromethazine (DIO)] present in samples of complex ionic matrices (urine) served as model examples. A negatively charged carboxyethyl-β-cyclodextrin (CE-β-CD) was used as a chiral selector in analytical CZE stage following upon a sample pretreatment by CITP (preconcentration of the analytes from 5 to 20-times diluted urine samples, partial sample clean up removing macroconstituents from the sample matrices). A high recognition capability of the oppositely charged CE-β-CD was demonstrated by enantioselective retardation of the drugs in presence of micro-and semi-macroconstituents migrating in CZE stage and detectable by UV detector. In this way, enantiomers of the drugs could be easily separated and determined. Due to lack of interferences between the drugs and sample-matrix constituents in presence of charged CE-β-CD, demands on both spacers in CITP step and multiple column-switching were minimized. CITP-CZE method with charged selector appeared to be a useful analytical approach for the trace enantiomers in complex ionic matrices as it combined enhanced separation selectivity and sample loadabitlity with high separation efficiency and provided favorable performance parameters including sensitivity, linearity, precision, accuracy/recovery and robustness with minimal demands on sample preparation. Analysis of urine sample taken from a patient treated by PHM, showing concentration profile of PHM enantiomers and their metabolites, illustrated potentialities of the method in clinical research.     

Designed combination of chiral selectors for adjustment of enantioseparation selectivity in capillary electrophoresis.

In this study an attempt has been made to explain the reasons for changing the enantioseparation selectivity in some dual cyclodextrin (CD) systems compared to the use of single chiral selectors in capillary electrophoresis (CE). An explanation for selectivity changes is proposed based on the effect of the chiral selector on the mobility of the analyte. In order to support the proposed mechanism, several dual systems were designed on the basis of the known recognition pattern of enantiomers for individual CDs. In most cases the separation selectivity could be adjusted in a designed way. There was no experimental evidence for simultaneous binding of a given chiral analyte with both chiral selectors or of chiral recognition of an analyte complex with one CD by another CD.     

Possibilities of column coupling electrophoresis provided with a fiber-based diode array detection in enantioselective analysis of drugs in pharmaceutical and clinical samples

The present work illustrated possibilities of column coupling electrophoresis combined with ionizable chiral selector and diode array detection (DAD) for the enantioselective analysis of trace drugs (pheniramine and its analogs) in pharmaceutical and clinical samples. Isotachophoresis (ITP), on-line coupled with capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE), served as an ideal injection technique (high sample load capacity, narrow and sharp drugs zones) of on-line pretreated samples (preseparation, purification and preconcentration of drugs) for the CZE stage. Enhanced (enantio)separation selectivity of CZE with ionizable chiral selector (carboxyethyl-beta-cyclodextrin recognized between drugs enantiomers on one hand as well as between drugs and sample matrix constituents on the other hand) enabled to obtain pure zones of the drugs enantiomers, suitable for their detection and quantitation. DAD in comparison with single wavelength UV detection enhanced value of analytical information verifying purity of drugs enantiomers zones (indicating interferents with different spectra to those of drugs). Obtained results indicated pure zones of interest confirming effective ITP-CZE (enantio)separation process. Distinguishing the trace analytes signals superposed on the baseline noise was provided with sufficient reliability (for this purpose the background correction and smoothing procedure had to be applied to the raw DAD spectra). The proposed ITP-CZE-DAD methods were characterized by favorable performance parameters (sensitivity, linearity, precision, recovery, accuracy, robustness, selectivity) and successfully applied for (i) enantiomeric purity testing of dexbrompheniramine in commercial pharmaceutical tablets and (ii) enantioselective metabolic study of pheniramine in human urine.     

醇/盐双水相体系中α-环己基扁桃酸手性分子识别

以含羟丙基-β-环糊精（HP-β-CD）手性识别剂的醇/盐双水相体系作为一种新型的手性识别萃取体系,研究了α-环己基扁桃酸(CHMA)对映体在其中的手性识别行为.详细考察了HP-β-CD浓度、CHMA浓度、乙醇和硫酸铵质量分数、体系温度和pH值等因素对CHMA对映体分配比（D）和分离因子(α)的影响.结果显示,含有手性识别剂HP-β-CD的乙醇∕硫酸铵双水相体系对CHMA对映体具有很强的手性识别能力;体系中HP-β-CD浓度、乙醇质量分数、温度和pH值等因素对对映体的分离度影响较大;在体系温度为40 ℃,pH值为2,乙醇质量分数为30%,硫酸铵质量分数为15%,HP-β-CD的浓度为50 g.L-1,CHMA浓度为0.5 mmol.L-1时,手性识别分离效果最佳,分离因子（α）达到了1.86.     

Quantitative trace analysis of eight chloramphenicol isomers in urine by chiral liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry

Chloramphenicol is a broad-spectrum antibiotic with, apart from its human medicinal use, veterinary abuse in all major food-producing animals. Chloramphenicol occurs in four stereoisomers (all para-nitro substituted) and furthermore four meta-nitro analogs of chloramphenicol exist. In this paper these are referred to as eight chloramphenicol isomers. According to EU regulations an analytical method should be able to discriminate the analyte from interfering substances that might be present in the sample, including isomers. For the first time a quantitative method for the analysis of trace levels of eight chloramphenicol isomers in urine by chiral liquid chromatography in combination with tandem mass spectrometric detection is reported. The separation of the isomers on the analytical column, the clean-up of urine and the selectivity of the monitored product ions turned out to be critical parameters. To obtain reproducible retention isocratic elution on a chiral AGP column was applied. For urine samples matrix compounds present in the final extract caused decreased retention of the isomers on the chiral stationary phase and a lack of chromatographic resolution. Therefore an extended clean-up procedure that combines solid phase extraction and liquid-liquid extraction had to be developed. The final method was fully validated and showed satisfactory performance for all isomers with decision limits (CCα) ranging from 0.005 to 0.03 μg L(-1) and within-laboratory reproducibility of all isomers below 20% at the minimum required performance limit level of 0.3 μg L(-1).     

Separation of α-cyclohexylmandelic acid enantiomers using biphasic chiral recognition high-speed counter-current chromatography

This work concentrates on a chiral separation technology named biphasic recognition applied to resolution of α-cyclohexylmandelic acid enantiomers by high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC). The biphasic chiral recognition HSCCC was performed by adding lipophilic (−)-2-ethylhexyl tartrate in the organic stationary phase and hydrophilic hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin in the aqueous mobile phase, which preferentially recognized the (−)-enantiomer and (+)-enantiomer, respectively. The two-phase solvent system composed of n-hexane-methyl tert-butyl ether–water (9:1:10, v/v/v) with the above chiral selectors was selected according to the partition coefficient and separation factor of the target enantiomers. Important parameters involved in the chiral separation were investigated, namely the types of the chiral selectors (CS); the concentration of each chiral selector; pH of the mobile phase and the separation temperature. The mechanism involved in this biphasic recognition chiral separation by HSCCC was discussed. Langmuirian isotherm was employed to estimate the loading limits for a given value of chiral selectors. Under optimum separation conditions, 3.5–22.0 mg of α-cyclohexylmandelic acid racemate were separated using the analytical apparatus and 440 mg of racemate was separated using the preparative one. The purities of both of the fractions including (+)-enantiomer and (−)-enantiomer from the preparative CCC separation were over 99.5% determined by HPLC and enantiomeric excess reached 100% for the (±)-enantiomers. Recovery for the target compounds from the CCC fractions reached 85–88% yielding 186 mg of (+)-enantiomer and 190 mg of (−)-enantiomer. The overall experimental results show that the HSCCC separation of enantiomer based on biphasic recognition, in which only if the CSs involved will show affinity for opposite enantiomers of the analyte, is much more efficient than the traditional monophasic recognition chiral separation, since it utilizes the cooperation of both of lipophilic and hydrophilic chiral selectors.     

Chiral recognition in the solid state: crystallographically characterized diastereomeric co-crystals between a synthetic chiral selector (Whelk-O1) and a representative chiral analyte

Designed to distinguish between the enantiomers of compounds possessing commonly occurring structural features, the chiral selector used in the chiral stationary phase (CSP) 1 (Whelk-O1) is broadly applicable. In an effort to further the understanding of the mechanism of chiral recognition with this chiral selector, both diastereomeric combinations of selector 1 and a representative analyte, the pivalamide of p-bromo-α-phenylethylamine, 2, were successfully co-crystallized and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal corresponding to the complex that is more stable in solution is consistent with our previously reported chiral recognition model. The aromatic portion of 2 is in the cleft of selector 1, displaying both face-to-face and face-to-edge π–π interactions as well as a hydrogen bond between the benzamide proton of the selector and the carbonyl oxygen of the analyte. For the crystal corresponding to the complex, which is less stable in solution, the aromatic portion of 2 is not in the cleft of selector 1, having approached from the opposite face of the π-acidic dinitrobenzamide moiety so as to undergo face-to-face π–π and hydrogen bonding interactions. Comparisons of these structures and their relevance to enantioselective chromatography are also discussed.     

Enantioselective separation of the sunscreen agent 3-(4-methylbenzylidene)-camphor by electrokinetic chromatography: Quantitative analysis in cosmetic formulations

3-(4-Methylbenzylidene)-camphor (MBC) is a chiral sunscreen agent used in cosmetic products. In this work, the enantioseparation of MBC has been performed by EKC and applied to the analysis of the MBC enantiomers in cosmetic creams. Different experimental conditions (type and concentration of the chiral selector, temperature, and sample solvent) have been optimized. Due to the neutral nature of this compound, anionic CD derivatives were investigated as chiral selectors. Carboxymethylated-beta-CD (CM-beta-CD) showed the highest chiral separation power, observing that a 15 mM concentration of this CD at a working temperature of 15 degrees C enabled to obtain the highest enantioresolution. However, under these conditions, tailing of peaks obtained for the enantiomers was observed. The addition of increasing concentrations of the neutral alpha-CD to CM-beta-CD at a 15 mM concentration in a 100 mM borate buffer at pH 9.0 improved the enantiomeric separation and decreased peak tailing. The use of DMF for the total dissolution of the cosmetic creams, and methanol:water (1:1 v/v) for appropriate dilution enabled to observe good shape and size for the peaks of the MBC enantiomers. After optimizing a method for the preconditioning of the capillary, the analytical characteristics of the chiral separation method for the analysis of MBC were investigated. Linearity, LODs and LOQs, precision (instrumental repeatability, method repeatability, intermediate precision), accuracy, and selectivity were evaluated. The method was applied to analyze MBC enantiomers contained in two commercial cosmetic creams containing racemic MBC and to study the skin absorption of this compound with time.     

Property of ionic liquid in electrophoresis and its application in chiral separation on microchips

The aqueous solution of a kind of room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium-tetrafluoroborate (1E-3MI-TFB), demonstrated its exclusive electroosmotic property in microchip electrophoresis. It was applied as the working electrolyte for chiral separation in glass microchip electrophoresis. Compared with boric acid buffer, 1E-3MI-TFB aqueous solution exhibited a broader separation window for enantiomers of dipeptides. Then the influences of chiral selector, pH and concentration on efficiency of chiral separation were discussed in detail. The unique mechanism of the generation of EOF was explored in a glass microchannel using 1E-3MI-TFB aqueous solution as working electrolyte. A possible status of 1E-3MI cation in water was suggested at the first time, which facilitated the explanation of EOF and its characteristics in glass microchannel. Additionally, microchip electrophoresis using 1E-3MI-TFB aqueous solution was successfully applied to the chiral separation of complex enantiomers of dipeptides. RTILs aqueous solution, as the electrolyte for the separation of complicated optical isomers, could lead to a revolution in the analytical methods of chiral or conformational analysis for biomolecules.     

Enantioseparation of pheniramine enantiomers by high‐speed countercurrent chromatography using β‐cyclodextrin derivatives as a chiral selector

The enantioselective separation of pheniramine was studied by a high‐speed countercurrent chromatography method using β‐cyclodextrin derivatives as a chiral selector. Several key variables, for instance, type of organic solvent and chiral selector, concentration of chiral selector, pH value of aqueous phase, and temperature on the enantioselectivity, were investigated systematically by liquid–liquid extraction experiments. Combining the results of extraction experiments and high‐speed countercurrent chromatography, the most suitable conditions for separation of pheniramine enantiomers were obtained with the two‐phase system that consisted of isobutyl acetate/aqueous phase, containing 0.02 mol/L carboxymethyl‐β‐cyclodextrin, pH 8.50 at 278.15 K. Under the optimal conditions, pheniramine enantiomer was successfully resolved after four cycles of high‐speed countercurrent chromatography. By using high‐performance liquid chromatography to analyze the fractions, the purities of both (+)‐pheniramine and (–)‐pheniramine were over 99% and the recovery of this method was up to 85–90%.