Enantiomeric separation of amino acids and nonprotein amino acids using a particle-loaded monolithic column

A solution is prepared of 5 microm silica particles modified with (S)-N-3,5-dinitrobenzoyl-1-naphthylglycine (particle 1) or (S)-N-3,5-dinitrophenylaminocarbonyl-valine (particle 2) suspended in liquid tetraethylorthosilicate, ethanol, and aqueous hydrochloric acid. This solution is injected under pressure into a 30 cm long, 75 microm inner diameter capillary column and heated for 1 h at 120 degrees C after which the modified particles are embedded in a monolithic column of sol gel. The packed column measures approximately 15 cm from the inlet to the window used to view the laser-induced fluorescence. Thirteen different amino acids and three nonprotein amino acids are derivatized with the fluorogenic reagent 4-fluoro-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (NBD-F) before injection onto the column for capillary electrochromatographic separation. The enantiomeric separation of the monolithic column packed with particle 1 results in a resolution ranging from 1.14 to 4.45, whereas that packed with particle 2 results in a resolution ranging from 0.79 to 1.17. On the basis of resolution and amount of chiral packing material the enantiomeric separation obtained by capillary electrochromatography is judged to be superior to that obtained previously with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).     

Resolution of sulphur-containing amino acids by chiral phase gas chromatography

Summary Methyl esters of the pentafluoropropionyl-amino acid derivatives of the tetrafunctional, sulphur-bridged, stereoisomeric lanthionines, cystathionines and -methyl-lanthionines were resolved on glass capillaries coated with the chiral stationary phase N-propionyl-L-valine-N-tert-butylamide-polysiloxane (Chirasil-Val) within 35min. Interestingly, L-cystathionine elutes before its D-enantiomer in contrast to the usual order of emergence on an L-phase. The method was applied to the polypeptide antibiotic nisin, which contains mesolanthionine and 2S,3S,6R-3-methyl-lanthionine.N-Pentafluoropropionyl-S-alkylthiocysteine methyl esters (R=methyl, ethyl, n- and iso-propyl, n- and sec-butyl, n-octyl, neo-pentyl, cyclohexyl-, benzyl-, tolyl-) were separated on Chirasil-Val within 30min. The identity of all derivatives was shown by combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.     

Determination of amino acids by gas chromatography using a wide bore capillary column

A procedure is described in which a wide bore capillary column is used as an alternative to the more traditional packed column for the quantitative analysis of amino acids as their N-heptafluorobutyryl isobutyl ester (HBB) derivatives. The column, installed in a gas chromatograph previously configured for use with a packed column, is shown to give good reproducibility by repeated determination of amino acid response factors (RSD values for all amino acids are below 3%). A number of problems, encountered during the use of this column, are discussed and suitable techniques to overcome them are reported.     

Resolution of amino acids on optically active stationary phase by gasChromatography

Summary The various enantiomeric esters of TFA--amino acid may be separated directly by gas chromatography on optically active stationary phase. In this work we investigated the resolution of relatively volatile amino acids (alanine, -amino-n-butyric acid, valine, threonine, allo-isoleucine, isoleucine, norvaline, leucine, proline, norleucine, serine) and less volatile amino acids (cysteine, aspartic acid, methionine, phenylalanine, glutamic acid) on a glass capillary column coated with N-caproyl-L-valyl-L-valine cyclohexyl ester.     

Capillary electrochromatography of amino acids with a protein-bonded porous-layer open-tubular column

A protein-bonded porous-layer open-tubular (PLOT) column has been synthesized and applied to the separation of amino acids by CEC. The porous layer was coated on the capillary inner wall by in situ polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and 2-vinyl-4,4-dimethylazlactone in the presence of 1-decanol as a porogen inside a fused-silica capillary silanized with gamma-methacryloxypropryltrimethoxysilane. The azlactone functionalities at the surface of the porous polymeric support layer were allowed to react with BSA to yield a protein-bonded PLOT column. This porous layer was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and its thickness was about 1 microm. CEC on this column gave enhanced resolution of three amino acids (histidine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan), and baseline separation was achieved with 20 mM phosphate buffer, pH 8.0.     

Gas chromatography of amino acids: Use of a fused-silica capillary column in the determination of plasma amino acids

A capillary chromatographic procedure using a fused silica column is described which can be used to quantitatively determine amino acids in plasma following the pre-chromatographic “clean-up” described in a recent paper [1]. In substituting this procedure for that involving a packed column, advantage has been taken of the greater resolving power to separate amino acids from background component peaks. In order to extend this advantage and provide a sound basis for quantitative analysis, the technique of cold on-column injection was employed. As a result, good precision of standard analysis was obtained with relative standard deviation (RSD) values for all amino acids of less than 4%. Application of the entire procedure to plasma samples yields RSD values of better than 10% for all amino acids with recoveries ranging from 72% to 104%. Simultaneous determination of plasma amino acid levels by gas chromatography (GC) using capillary columns and by classical ion exchange (CIE) showed reasonable agreement. Statistical evaluation showed no significant difference between twelve amino acids. Values for the remaining two, namely, phenylalanine and histidine are significantly different (p < 0.005). Comparison of the values obtained from GC capillary and packed columns reveals no significant difference between fourteen amino acids. Significant differences exist between results for phenylalanine and tyrosine (p < 0.001). It is concluded that there is good agreement between data obtained by GC capillary and CIE techniques and that differences between results for phenylalanine and histidine are method related.     

Enantioseparation of dansyl amino acids by HPLC on a monolithic column dynamically coated with a vancomycin derivative

In this work a chiral stationary phase was prepared by dynamically coating a monolithic reversed-phase HPLC column with a vancomycin-derivative as chiral selector. A hydrophobic alkyl-chain was attached to the vancomycin molecule, providing the immobilization of the chiral selector on the reversed-phase material. Dansyl amino acids were chosen as model analytes for testing the separation power of the dynamically coated phase. All investigated compounds were separated into their enantiomers. Compared with a conventionally packed vancomycin-CSP, a reversal of the enantiomer elution order was obtained.     

Proline-coated column for the capillary electrochromatographic separation of amino acids by in-column derivatization

With 3-trimethoxysilylpropyl chloride as the spacer, a proline-coated capillary column was prepared for the capillary electrochromatographic (CEC) separation of amino acids by in-column derivatization. Nine standard mixtures, including aspartic acid, glutamic acid, valine, phenylalanine, alanine, isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine, and tryptophan, were injected. o-Phthalaldehyde (OPA), OPA/2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) and OPA/N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in borate buffer were tested as the derivatizing agent. Among them, OPA (50 mM) in borate buffer (pH 9.5, 50 mM) gave the best performance. The formation of isoindole could be detected by UV detection. The sandwich-type injection was carried out in hydrostatic mode (10 cm) with the program R(10 s)S(10 s) R(10 s)W(10 min) with R, S, and W being the reagent, sample, and waiting times. Mesityl oxide, benzyl alcohol, and acetone showed some interaction with the column. A current monitoring method was used instead of the determination of the electroosmotic flow (EOF). The direction of EOF was from anode to cathode even under acidic condition lower than the pI value (6.31) of the bonded group due to some unreacted silanol groups. Some parameters including pH, nature, and concentration of the mobile phase and the effect of organic modifier with regard to the CEC separation were investigated. With the proline-coated column (75 (50) cm x 75 microm ID) the best separation was performed in phosphate buffer (pH 4.00, 100 mM) with an applied voltage of -15 kV. The established method was also compared with those precolumn derivatized prior to the separation with proline-coated column as well as with in-capillary derivatization and separation with a bare fused-silica column.     

Resolution of non-protein amino acids via Carica papaya lipase-catalyzed enantioselective transesterification

Carica papaya lipase-catalyzed transesterification of the 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl esters of N-benzyloxycarbonylated dl-amino acids carrying aliphatic side chains proceeded smoothly and, in almost all the cases, enantiospecifically (E = >200), affording the l-methyl esters and leaving the d-trifluoroethyl esters intact.     

Gas-liquid chromatographic separation of N-trifluoroacetyl iso-butyl esters of 20 protein amino acids on a single column

Summary A procedure is established for the separation and quantitation of 20 protein amino acids by gas-chromatography in which the N-trifluoroacetyl-iso-butyl esters of these acids were chromatographically separated on a single mixed phase column OV-17 OV-210 (2%1% on 100/120 Supelcoport). The problems faced by previous investigators for separation and analysis of histidine, arginine, tryptophane and cystine have been solved. The procedure enables rapid, accurate and sensitive amino acid analysis and might fill an important need of scientists who are faced with the problem of amino acid analysis of biologically important substances.

---

Gas-flüssig-chromatographische Trennung der N-Trifluoracetyl-isobutylester von 20 Protein-Aminosäuren auf einer einzigen Säule

Zusammenfassung Die Trennung erfolgt auf einer einzigen Mischphasensäule (OV-17OV-210; 2%1% an 100/120 Supelcoport). Die Probleme, die sich früher für die Trennung und Analyse von Histidin, Arginin, Tryptophan und Cystin ergaben, konnten dadurch überwunden werden. Das Verfahren ermöglicht eine schnelle, genaue und empfindliche Trennung und ist nützlich für die Untersuchung von Substanzen von biologischem Interesse.

     

Fast and quantitative analysis of branched-chain amino acids in biological samples using a pillar array column

In this study, a fast and quantitative determination method for branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), namely leucine, isoleucine, and valine, was developed using a pillar array column. A pillar array column with low-dispersion turns was fabricated on a 20?×?20-mm² microchip using multistep ultraviolet photolithography and deep reactive ion etching. The BCAAs were fluorescently labeled with 4-fluoro-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (NBD-F), followed by reversed-phase separation on the pillar array column. The NBD derivatives of the three BCAAs and an internal standard (6-aminocaproic acid) were separated in 100 s. The calibration curves for the NBD-BCAAs had good linearity in the range of 0.4–20 μM, using an internal standard. The intra- and interday precisions were found to be in the ranges of 1.42–3.80 and 2.74–6.97 %, respectively. The accuracies for the NBD-BCAA were from 90.2 to 99.1 %. The method was used for the analysis of sports drink and human plasma samples. The concentrations of BCAAs determined by the developed method showed good agreements with those determined using a conventional high-performance liquid chromatography system. As BCAAs are important biomarkers of some diseases, these results showed that the developed method could be a potential diagnostic tool in clinical research.