Separation mechanism of chiral compounds in chiral stationary phase liquid chromatography

In this paper, the concept of reversed- or normal-phase chiral stationary phase liquid chromatography has been put forward according to the polar strength of mobile and stationary phases. The statistical model developed in HPLC has been used to investigate the separation mechanism of D- and L-enantiomer in chiral stationary phase liquid chromatography. It has been observed that the variation of capacity factor of enantiomers with mobile phase composition in both reversed-phase and normal-phase chiral stationary phase liquid chromatography can be described by the fundamental elution equation lnk' = a + blnC_b + _cC_b. The effect of mobile phase composition on the selectivity of enantiomers D and L in normal-phase chiral stationary phase liquid chromatography can be described by the equation lnα = Δa + ΔblnC_b, but in reversed-phase chiral stationary phase liquid chromatography the selectivity is almost independant of the mobile phase composition.     

Determination of Antiviral Drugs and Their Metabolites Using Micro-Solid Phase Extraction and UHPLC-MS/MS in Reversed-Phase and Hydrophilic Interaction Chromatography Modes

Two new ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) methods for analyzing 21 selected antivirals and their metabolites were optimized, including sample preparation step, LC separation conditions, and tandem mass spectrometry detection. Micro-solid phase extraction in pipette tips was used to extract antivirals from the biological material of Hanks balanced salt medium of pH 7.4 and 6.5. These media were used in experiments to evaluate the membrane transport of antiviral drugs. Challenging diversity of physicochemical properties was overcome using combined sorbent composed of C₁₈ and ion exchange moiety, which finally allowed to cover the whole range of tested antivirals. For separation, reversed-phase (RP) chromatography and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC), were optimized using extensive screening of stationary and mobile phase combinations. Optimized RP-UHPLC separation was carried out using BEH Shield RP18 stationary phase and gradient elution with 25 mmol/L formic acid in acetonitrile and in water. HILIC separation was accomplished with a Cortecs HILIC column and gradient elution with 25 mmol/L ammonium formate pH 3 and acetonitrile. Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) conditions were optimized in both chromatographic modes, but obtained results revealed only a little difference in parameters of capillary voltage and cone voltage. While RP-UHPLC-MS/MS exhibited superior separation selectivity, HILIC-UHPLC-MS/MS has shown substantially higher sensitivity of two orders of magnitude for many compounds. Method validation results indicated that HILIC mode was more suitable for multianalyte methods. Despite better separation selectivity achieved in RP-UHPLC-MS/MS, the matrix effects were noticed while using both chromatographic modes leading to signal enhancement in RP and signal suppression in HILIC.     

Exploring the elution mechanism of selenium species on liquid chromatography

In the present work, the chromatographic behavior of eight selenium species, namely selenites (Se(IV)), selenates (Se(VI)), seleno‐DL ‐methionine (Se‐Met), selenocystine (Se‐Cyst), selenocystamine (Se‐CM), selenourea (Se‐U), dimethylselenide ((CH₃)₂Se) and dimethyldiselenide ((CH₃)₂Se₂), was investigated under different stationary and mobile phase conditions, in an effort to unravel secondary interferences in their underlying elution mechanism. For this purpose, two end‐capped and a polar‐embedded reversed‐phase stationary phases were employed using different mobile phase conditions. Retention factors (log k_w) were compared with octanol–water distribution coefficients (log D) as well as with log k_w values on two immobilized artificial membrane (IAM) columns and two immobilized artificial plasma proteins stationary phases, obtained in our previous work. The role of electrostatic interactions was confirmed by introducing the net charge of the investigated Se species as an additional term in the log k_w/log D interrelation, which in most cases proved to be statistically significant. Principal component analysis of retention factors on all stationary phases and octanol–water log D values, however, showed that the elution of the investigated selenium species is mainly governed by partitioning mechanism under all different chromatographic conditions, while the pH of the mobile phase and the special column characteristics have only a minor effect.     

Theoretical opportunities and actual limitations of pH gradient HPLC

In a series of reports published recently by our laboratory comprehensive theory and experimental conditions were established for reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP HPLC) employing the programmed pH gradient of mobile phase. A procedure was developed providing, rapidly and conveniently, the acidity (pK_a) of weak acids and bases and their lipophilicity (hydrophobicity) log k_w. The basis of the double-gradient RP HPLC, employing simultaneous gradients of organic modifier content and mobile phase pH, was also elaborated. The fundamentals of the approach are presented briefly and systematically and its advantages and limitations are discussed. It is demonstrated that the newly introduced pH gradient method increases the analytical versatility of RP HPLC and our understanding of its physicochemical basis.     

Retention Behavior of Neutral and Positively and Negatively Charged Solutes on an Immobilized‐Artificial‐Membrane (IAM) Stationary Phase

The retention behavior of neutral, positively charged, and negatively charged solutes on the IAM.PC.DD2 stationary phase was investigated and compared. A set of monofunctional compounds and complex drugs (steroids, nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs, and β‐blockers) were selected for this study, i.e., neutral solutes and solutes with acidic or basic functionalities which are positively charged or negatively charged at pH 7.0. The correlation between the retention factor log k_w at pH 7.0 on the IAM.PC.DD2 stationary phase and the partition coefficient log P_oct or the distribution coefficient log D_7.0 showed that the retention mechanism depends on the charge state and structural characteristics of the compounds. The neutrals were least retained on the IAM.PC.DD2 stationary phase, and positively charged solutes were more retained than negatively charged ones. This implies that the retention of the charged solutes is controlled not only by lipophilicity but also by the electrostatic interaction with the phospholipid, with which positively charged solutes interact more strongly than negatively charged ones.     

Octanol/water partitioning simulation by RP‐HPLC for structurally diverse acidic drugs: Comparison of three columns in the presence and absence of n‐octanol as the mobile phase additive

The advantageous effect of n‐octanol as a mobile phase additive for lipophilicity assessment of structurally diverse acidic drugs both in the neutral and ionized form was explored. Two RP C₁₈ columns, ABZ⁺ and Aquasil, were used for the determination of logk_w indices, and the results were compared with those previously reported on a base‐deactivated silica column. At pH 2.5, the use of n‐octanol‐saturated buffer as the mobile phase aqueous component led to high‐quality 1:1 correlation between logk_w and logP for the ABZ⁺ column, while inferior statistics were obtained for Aquasil. At physiological pH, the correlations were significantly improved if strongly ionized acidic drugs were treated separately from weakly ionized ones. In the latter case, 1:1 correlations between logD_7.4 and logk_w^oct indices were obtained in the presence of 0.25% n‐octanol. Concerning strongly ionized compounds, adequate correlations were established under the same conditions; however, slopes were significantly lower than unity, while large negative intercepts were obtained. According to the absolute difference (diff = logD_7.4–logk_w) pattern, base‐deactivated silica showed a better performance than ABZ⁺, however, the latter seems more efficient for the lipophilicity assessment of highly lipophilic acidic compounds. Aquasil may be the column of choice if logD_7.4<3 with the limitation, however, that very hydrophilic compounds cannot be measured.     

Comparison of octadecyl-bonded silica and styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer sorbents for trace enrichment purposes fundamental aspects II. Linear chromatographic behaviour of the extracting supports

Summary Two reversed-phase LC systems were investigated by frontal analysis for the determination of linear chromatographic conditions, as defined according to the isotherm concept. The Partisil ODS-3 bonded silica and the PRP-1 polystyrene-divinylbenzene resin were used as stationary phases together withtrans-2-hexen-al as test solute and methanol-water mixtures as mobile phases. Particular attention was paid to the respective influence of the two main parameters which may cause sorbent overloading, that is, the capacity factor (k′) and the solute concentration in the mobile phase (C_m). Provided that k′C_m≤10⁻² M, linear chromatographic behaviour was observed for both sorbents, the maximum capacities of which were found greater than 1mmolg⁻¹.     

The performance of 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ionic liquid as mobile phase additive in HPLC‐based lipophilicity assessment

Ionic liquids have been widely used as green alternative mobile phase additives to shield the residuals silanols groups and modify the stationary/mobile phase HPLC systems. The present study aimed to evaluate the performance of the ionic liquid 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([EMIM][BF4]) in producing extrapolated logk_w indices suitable to substitute for octanol–water logP or logD values. The effect of [EMIM][BF4] was investigated for a set of basic and neutral drugs using two different columns, BDS and ABZ⁺. [EMIM][BF4] was added simply alone or in combination with n‐octanol and was compared with the conventional masking agent n‐decylamine. [EMIM][BF4] reduced the retention by suppressing silanophilic interactions, althoug to a lower extent than n‐decylamine. Addition of n‐octanol further decreased the retention by shielding silanol sites on BDS and/or interacting with polar groups through hydrogen bonding on ABZ⁺. Logk_w/logD_7.4 relationships proved moderate compared with those derived upon addition of n‐decylamine. They were considerably improved upon the introduction of protonated fraction F⁺ in the correlation, reflecting ion pair formation between the chaotropic anion [BF4]^‐ and the protonated basic compounds. In this aspect, the ionic liquid [EMIM][BF4], although efficient as a masking agent, cannot be recommended as mobile phase additive to reproduce octanol–water partitioning. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Interactions between Amines and Phospholipids: A Chromatographic Study on Immobilized Artificial Membrane (IAM) Stationary Phases at Various pH Values

The chromatographic capacity factors (log k′) for 23 amines were measured by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) on a stationary phase composed of phospholipids, the so‐called `Immobilized Artificial Membrane' (IAM). The chromatographic behaviour of the compounds, which consist of primary, secondary, and tertiary amines, and compounds with endocyclic amino functions, was studied with eluents at various pH values (7.0, 5.5, and 3.0). The results were compared both to the octanol/buffer partition values of neutral forms (log P) and to those of mixtures of neutral and ionised forms, existing at the three pH values above mentioned (log D^7.0, log D^5.5, and log D^3.0). At pH 7.0, the log k′ of all secondary and tertiary amines overlapped with those previously observed for neutral isolipophilic compounds. This behaviour was also observed for primary amines, but only for compounds fully ionised at this pH. In contrast, the partially ionised primary amines at pH 7.0 and the compounds with an endocyclic amino function both showed stronger interactions with phospholipids than expected on the basis of log P. The changes in retention observed with eluents at pH 5.5 indicated that retention varies with the ionisation degree of the analytes. At pH 3.0, the interaction between phospholipids and the ionised forms of the amines considered was impaired probably by a change in the charges on the IAM surface. The present study indicates that phospholipids are a partitioning phase that better accommodates the neutral forms of primary amines than does octanol. Moreover, the phospholipid phase is much less sensitive to the ionisation of analytes than octanol, but only at pH 7.0 and 5.5; indeed, the ionised forms of all the amines considered are retained to the same extent as expected for hypothetical neutral isolipophilic compounds. We can thus conclude that, for amines, the partition scale in phospholipids is distinct from the one in octanol.     

Simultaneous arsenic‐ and selenium‐specific detection of the dimethyldiselenoarsinate anion by high‐performance liquid chromatography–inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

The seleno‐bis (S‐glutathionyl) arsinium ion, [(GS)₂AsSe]^?, which can be synthesized from arsenite, selenite and glutathione (GSH) at physiological pH, fundamentally links the mammalian metabolism of arsenite with that of selenite and is potentially involved in the chronic toxicity/carcinogenicity of inorganic arsenic. A mammalian metabolite of inorganic arsenic, dimethylarsinic acid, reacts with selenite and GSH in a similar manner to form the dimethyldiselenoarsinate anion, [(CH₃)₂As(Se)₂]^?. Since dimethylarsinic acid is an environmentally abundant arsenic compound that could interfere with the mammalian metabolism of the essential trace element selenium via the in vivo formation of [(CH₃)₂As(Se)₂]^?, a chromatographic method was developed to rapidly identify this compound in aqueous samples. Using an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICP‐AES) as the simultaneous arsenic‐ and selenium‐specific detector, the chromatographic retention behaviour of [(CH₃)₂As(Se)₂]^? was investigated on styrene–divinylbenzene‐based high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) columns. With a Hamilton PRP‐1 column as the stationary phase (250 × 4.1 mm ID, equipped with a guard column) and a phosphate‐buffered saline buffer (0.01 mol dm^?3, pH 7.4) as the mobile phase, [(CH₃)₂As(Se)₂]^? was identified in the column effluent according to its arsenic:selenium molar ratio of 1 : 2. With this stationary phase/mobile phase combination, [(CH₃)₂As(Se)₂]^? was baseline‐separated from arsenite, selenite, dimethylarsinate, methylarsonate and low molecular weight thiols (GSH, oxidized GSH) that are frequently encountered in biological samples. Thus, the HPLC–ICP‐AES method developed should be useful for rapid identification and quantification of [(CH₃)₂As(Se)₂]^? in biological fluids. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Determination of lipophilicity for antitumor acridinone derivatives supported by gradient high-performance liquid chromatography method

The lipophilicity values of selected acridinone (imidazoacridinone and triazoloacridinone) derivatives were measured by gradient reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) using a C18 stationary phase with a water/acetonitrile mixture as a mobile phase. The retention times obtained served as input data and appropriate log k_w values (i.e., the retention factor log k_w extrapolated to 0% organic modifier) as an alternative to log P were calculated using the DryLab program. The relationships between the lipophilicity (log k_w) and the chemical structure of the studied compounds, as well as correlation between experimentally determined lipophilicities (log k_w) and log P data calculated using some commonly available software, are discussed.     

Separation behavior of basic compounds on unbonded silicon oxynitride and silica high‐performance liquid chromatography stationary phases with reversed‐phase eluents

Unbonded silicon oxynitride and silica high‐performance liquid chromatography stationary phases have been evaluated and compared for the separation of basic compounds of differing molecular weight, pK_a, and log D using aqueous/organic mobile phases. The influences of percentage of organic modifier, buffer pH, and concentration in the mobile phase on base retention were investigated on unbonded silicon oxynitride and silica phases. The results confirmed that unbonded silicon oxynitride and silica phases demonstrated excellent separation performance for model basic compounds and both the unbonded phases examined possessed a hydrophobic/adsorption and ion‐exchange character. The silicon oxynitride stationary phase exhibited high hydrophilicity compared with silica with a reversed‐phase mobile phase. An ion‐exclusion‐type mechanism becomes predominant for the separation of three aimed bases on the silicon oxynitride column at pH 2.8. Different from silicon oxynitride stationary phase, no obvious change for the retention time of three model bases on silica stationary phase at pH 2.8 can be observed.     

Enantiospecific analysis of ibuprofen by high performance liquid chromatography: Determination of free and total drug enantiomer concentrations in serum and urine

Summary A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay, based on the indirect approach to enantiomeric analysis, for the determination of ibuprofen in human serum and urine has been developed. Following the addition of (R,S)-flurbiprofen, as internal standard, the enantiomers of ibuprofen were isolated from plasma and urine samples by liquid-liquid extraction at acidic pH. The enantiomers of flurbiprofen and ibuprofen were derivatized with (R)-1-(naphthen-1-yl)ethylamine, using 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide and 1-hydroxybenzotriazole as coupling reagents, to yield the corresponding diastereoisomeric amides. Chromatographic resolution of the derivatives was achieved using a C₁₈ column (Waters Resolve C₁₈; 5 μm, 150×3.9 mm) using a mobile phase of phosphate buffer (pH 3.5, 0.01 M): acetonitrile (50∶50 v/v) at a flow rate of 1.5 mL min⁻¹ at ambient temperature. Quantification was carried out using a spectrofluorometer with excitation and emission wavelengths of 290 and 330 nm respectively. The use of a semimicrobore column (150×2.1 mm) containing the same stationary phase facilitated the analysis of the free drug enantiomer concentrations following equilibrium dialysis. The derivatization procedure was carried out as described above but with a reduction in the quantities of the reagents used in order to reduce the background noise in the chromatographic analysis. The HPLC methodology for the determination of free drug enantiomer concentrations was validated against a previously reported method employing the radiolabelled drug.     

Simultaneous determination of difloxacin and its primary metabolite sarafloxacin in rabbit plasma

Summary An HPLC method with fluorescence detection is presented for the analysis of difloxacin (DIF) and sarafloxacin (SAR) in rabbit plasma using norfloxacin (NOR) as internal standard (Figure 1). Plasma sample preparations were carried out by adding phosphate buffer (pH 7.4, 0.1 M), followed by extraction with trichloromethane. Fluoroquinolones were separated on a reversed-phase column using an aqueous phosphate solution-acetonitrile (82:18) mobile phase. The concentrations of NOR, SAR and DIF eluting off the column, with retention times of 2.16, 5.60 and 6.20, respectively, were monitored by fluorescence detection atλ _ex 338 andλ _em 425 nm. The quantitation limit was 12 ng mL⁻¹ for SAR and DIF. Standard curves were linearly related to concentration in the range from 1 to 1500 ng mL⁻¹. Recovery was determined as 76% and 70% for SAR and DIF, respectively. Inter-and intraassay coefficients of variation were less than 6% for all compounds.     

Micellar Liquid Chromatography Study of Quantitative Retention–Activity Relationships for Antihypertensive Drugs

Use of micellar mobile phases in reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) results in hydrophobic and electrostatic sites for interaction. Modified stationary phases in micellar liquid chromatography (MLC) are structurally similar to biomembranes. To confirm this we focused on the effects of the type and concentration of surfactant (Brij 35, SDS, and CTAB) and mobile phase pH on the retention of antihypertensive drugs on modified C₁₈ stationary phases. Quantitative retention-activity relationships are proposed for the drugs and the different surfactants and compared with those obtained using aqueous–organic mobile phases. Finally, a correlation was obtained between the logarithm of retention factors (log k) and the toxicity (LD₅₀) of antihypertensive drugs. Revised: 14 September 2005 and 4 April 2006     

RP-HPLC determination of the lipophilicity of bispyridinium reactivators of acetylcholinesterase bearing a but-2-ene connecting linker

New acetylcholinesterase reactivators with either a (E) or (Z)-but-2-ene connecting linker were recently prepared. The purity of the compounds was checked by HPLC and was found to be sufficient for in-vitro screening. All the discussed bispyridinium reactivators were analyzed by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) to measure lipophilicity. The procedure was performed under isocratic conditions with methanol as organic modifier in the mobile phase using an end-capped non-polar C₁₈ stationary phase RP column. Relationships between the lipophilicity (logarithm of the RP-HPLC capacity factor, log k) and chemical structures of the studied compounds are discussed. Lipophilicity was different for the (E) and (Z) compounds and varied among the compounds in each of these groups. The lipophilicity differences also indicated an apparent influence of intramolecular interactions. Lipophilicity calculations (log P/Clog P) by means of commonly used software were not successful due to the presence of quaternary nitrogen atoms in the molecules of the reactivators.     

Determination of grepafloxacin in plasma samples by HPLC: Application to clinical pharmacokinetic studies

Summary A sensitive HPLC assay for the determination of grepafloxacin (GRE) in biological samples is described. Sample preparations were carried out by adding phosphate buffer (pH 7.4, 0.1M), followed by extraction with trichloromethane. GRE and the internal standard, enrofloxacin (ENR), were separated on a reversed-phase column using an aqueous phosphate solution-acetonitrile (78∶22) mobile phase. The concentrations of ENR and GRE eluting of the column with retention times of 2.55, and 4.90 min, respectively were monitored by fluorescence atλ _ex 338 andλ _em 425 nm. The method was shown to be linear from 5 to 4000 ng mL⁻¹. The detection and quantitation limits were 5 and 10 ng mL⁻¹, respectively. Mean recovery was determined as 90%. Inter- and intra-assay precisions were 3.0% and 3.5% respectively. The method was applied to the determination of GRE in plasma samples collected during clinical pharmacokinetic studies.     

Separation of L-DOPA and four metabolites in plasma using a porous graphitic carbon column in capillary liquid chromatography

Summary A sensitive HPLC method with marbofloxacin (MAR) as internal standard and fluorescence detection is described for the analysis of ofloxacin (OFL) enantiomers in plasma samples. Plasma samples were prepared by adding phosphate buffer (pH 7.4, 0.1m), then extracted with trichloromethane.S-OFL,R-OFL, and the internal standard were separated on a reversed-phase column with water-methanol, 85.5∶14.5, as mobile phase. The concentrations ofS-OFL andR-OFL eluting from the column (retention times 7.5 and 8.7 min, respectively) were monitored by fluorescence detection withλ _ex = 331 andλ _em = 488 nm. The detection and quantitation limits were 10 and 20 ng mL⁻¹, respectively, forS-OFL and 11 and 21 ng mL⁻¹ forR-OFL. Response was linearly related to concentration in the range 10 to 2500 ng mL⁻¹. Recovery was close to 93% for both compounds. The method was applied to determination of the enantiomers of OFL in plasma samples collected during pharmacokinetic studies.