Solvation of the Whelk-O1 chiral stationary phase: a molecular dynamics study

Density functional theory calculations and molecular dynamics simulations are employed to explore the solvation of the Whelk-O1 chiral stationary phase. First, a semi-flexible representation of the Whelk-O1 selective molecule is extracted from an extensive series of B3LYP/6-311+ G(2d,p) calculations. The resulting model is used to build a chiral surface, including end-caps, for molecular dynamics study of the interface between solvent and Whelk-O1. Three solvent environments in common use for Whelk-O1 HPLC have been examined: a normal-phase solvent of n-hexane/2-propanol; a reversed-phase solvent of water/methanol; and a supercritical solvent of CO(2) and methanol. In each case, we analyze the interface with an emphasis on solvent composition and solvent hydrogen bonding to the Whelk-O1 selector.     

溶剂效应对手性咪唑衍生物对映异构体与固定相相互作用的影响

采用分子模拟方法研究了两类手性咪唑衍生物的对映异构体与多糖类手性固定相纤维素-三(4-甲基苯甲酸酯)(商品名称为Chiralcel OJ)的相互作用, 结果表明, 溶剂效应对两者的相互作用有显著影响. 在强极性溶剂(溶剂A)条件下, 与化合物的S型异构体相比, 化合物的R型异构体与固定相间形成的复合物更稳定, 即S型先出峰, R型后出峰, 与文献报道的拆分实验结果完全吻合; 在弱极性溶剂(溶剂B)条件下, 两个化合物的R/S型异构体与固定相相结合的结合能差别不大, 无法进行有效分离. 模拟结果表明, 对映体与固定相之间存在远程互相排斥作用, 在强极性溶剂作用下, 远程静电作用减弱, 有利于对对映体与固定相立体相互作用的不同进行区分, 从而区分对映异构体. 能量分析结果显示, 分子间的范德华能, 尤其是其中色散能的大小决定了对映体在固定相上是否可有效分离.     

Selectivity tuning of serially coupled (S,S) Whelk-O 1 and (R,R) Whelk-O 1 columns in HPLC

The selectivity tuning of two columns coupled in series is investigated in chiral high-performance liquid chromatography. Two columns with reversal enantioselectivities [(R,R) Whelk-O 1 and (S,S) Whelk-O 1] are coupled in series via a T connector. Selectivity of such a column series is tuned by varying the mobile phase flows in the individual columns. The flow ratio necessary for the required selectivity is calculated on the basis of retention factors measured on the individual columns. The performance of this method for adjusting the required selectivity is studied by the separation of enantiomers of alkoxy substituted esters of phenylcarbamic acid. It is demonstrated that the change of the mobile phase flows in the individual columns enables change in the elution order of enantiomers.     

Comparison of the enantioseparation of racemic uridine analogs on Whelk-O 1 and ChiralPak-AD columns

The commercially available, brush-type (S,S)-Whelk-O 1 chiral stationary phase (CSP) has been used to separate 10 racemates of structurally related uridine analogs, potentially anti-viral agents, under various mobile phase compositions, using various temperatures. The enantioseparation was evaluated by comparing the Whelk-O 1 column performance with that of ChiralPak-AD column, reported previously. The comparison involved the role of some distinctive structural features of the racemates, type and composition of the solvent modifiers, as well as effect of temperature on the chiral discrimination. Despite the fact that both columns separate almost all the uridine analogs, significant differences were observed in their chiral recognition, as revealed from their retention, selectivity, resolution and elution order. The chiral recognition processes, responsible for enantioseparation on the Whelk-O 1 column, were relatively more systematic and easier to manipulate than on ChiralPak-AD column. Enantioseparation on the latter are of more complex nature and frequently gave results that were contradictory to the expectations. On the other hand, the performance in the ChiralPak-AD column was superior to that of the Whelk-O 1 column. Limitations in column handling and maintenance (pressure and temperatures) as well as limited solvent choice lead to the preference of the Whelk-O 1 column, in spite of its lower (but adequate) performance.     

Rational optimization of the Whelk-O1 chiral stationary phase using molecular dynamics simulations

Rational in silico optimization of the Whelk-O1 chiral stationary phase (CSP) has been carried out based on the chiral recognition mechanism extracted from previous molecular dynamics simulations [C.F. Zhao, N.M. Cann, Anal. Chem. 80 (2008) 2426] of this CSP. Three modified CSPs have been examined. The first two are designed to increase selectivity by reducing the docking probability of the less retained analyte. The third modified selector reverses the amide bridge to introduce a structural motif found in the popular carbamate-derivatized polysaccharide CSPs [Y. Okamoto, M. Kawashima, K. Hatada, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 106 (1984) 5357]. For each modified selector, an atomistic model has been obtained through extensive ab initio calculations. The effect of selector modification is then evaluated via simulations of the modified interface in the presence of target analytes. Simulation results show that the separation factors are increased for the modified CSPs but in some cases elution orders are reversed. The Whelk-O1 CSP was originally designed to separate naproxen [W.H. Pirkle, C.J. Welch, B. LAmm, J. Org. Chem. 57 (1992) 3854]. With this in mind, molecular dynamics simulations of naproxen are compared for the original, and the modified, selectors.     

Investigation of a broadly applicable chiral selector used in enantioselective chromatography (Whelk-O 1) as a chiral solvating agent for NMR determination of enantiomeric composition

A chiral solvating agent (CSA) based on the chiral selector used in the Whelk-O 1 chiral stationary phase (CSP) was prepared and its scope evaluated. This chiral selector possesses a cleft flanked with aromatic groups and produces upfield chemical shifts for analytes, which are held in this cleft. The enantiomers of each of the Whelk-O 1 resolvable analytes surveyed show non-equivalent ¹H NMR spectra at room temperature with the addition of only 0.5 equiv of the CSA. Similar non-equivalence is sometimes noted for enantiomers, which do not resolve on this CSP. In such cases, it is apparent that a hydrogen bond acceptor is required and higher CSA to substrate ratios and/or lower temperatures may be needed if adequate resolution of enantiomeric signals is to be obtained.     

Direct chiral separation of caderofloxacin enantiomers by HPLC using a glycoprotein column

The enantiomers of caderoflxacin (CS-940), the new antibacterial fluoroquinolone compound, were separated on the commercially available α-acid glycoprotein-coated chiral stationary phase (Chiral-AGP) using the mobile phase of IPA: 0.15 M NaH₂PO₄ + Et₃N (pH 7.9) = 3: 97 at 0.8 mL/min with UV detection at 282 nm. The chromatographic behavior of caderofloxacin enantiomers was investigated by varying the mobile phase conditions. The chiral assay method was validated and used to determination of (R)-Caderofloxacin in (S)-Caderofloxacin raw material samples.     

Natural terpene derivatives as new structural task‐specific ionic liquids to enhance the enantiorecognition of acidic enantiomers on teicoplanin‐based stationary phase by high‐performance liquid chromatography

We present the specific cooperative effect of a semisynthetic glycopeptide antibiotic teicoplanin and chiral ionic liquids containing the (1R ,2S ,5R )‐(–)‐menthol moiety on the chiral recognition of enantiomers of mandelic acid, vanilmandelic acid, and phenyllactic acid. Experiments were performed chromatographically on an Astec Chirobiotic T chiral stationary phase applying the mobile phase with the addition of the chiral ionic liquids. The stereoselective binding of enantiomers to teicoplanin in presence of new chiral ionic liquids were evaluated applying thermodynamic measurements and the docking simulations. Both the experimental and theoretical methods revealed that the chiral recognition of enantiomers in the presence of new chiral ionic liquids was enthalpy driven. The changes of the teicoplanin conformation occurring upon binding of the chiral ionic liquids are responsible for the differences in the standard changes in Gibbs energy (ΔG ⁰) values obtained for complexes formed by the R and S enantiomers and teicoplanin. Docking simulations revealed the steric adjustment between the chiral ionic liquids cyclohexane ring (chair conformation) and the β‐d ‐glucosamine ring of teicoplanin and additionally hydrophobic interactions between the decanoic aliphatic chain of teicoplanin and the alkyl group of the tested salts. The obtained terpene derivatives can be considered as “structural task‐specific ionic liquids” responsible for enhancing the chiral resolution in synergistic systems with two chiral selectors.     

Resolution of the enantiomers of oxamniquine by capillary electrophoresis and high-performance liquid chromatography with cyclodextrins and heparin as chiral selectors

The methods of separation of the enantiomers of the chiral drug oxamniquine are compared, between HPLC with either cyclodextrins and their related derivatives as chiral selectors in the mobile phase or immobilisedin a chiral stationary phase (as Cyclobond I and II) and between capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) where the cyclodextrins are added to the buffer solution. The HPLC experiments, which included structured method optimisation were largely unsuccessful in resolving the enantiomers, with the exception of when a Chiral-AGP protein stationary phase was introduced into the programme. However although this chiral stationary phase provided baseline resolution of the enantiomers the stability of the method was suspect to small changes in the pH (0.2 units). In contrast the CZE method developed for both cyclodextrins and their derivatives gave good resolution of the enantiomers and method stability (R.S.D. <1%, N = 10 on precision). The basis of the interaction mechanism between selector and selectand was shown as a 1:2 relationship of cyclodextrin to analyte by NMR. In addition the polysaccharide, heparin was investigated as a chiral additive and excellent resolution of the oxaminiquine was achieved with 3 mM heparin in 50 mM sodium dihydrogenphosphate (pH 3.0) as buffer in CZE, which also gave a stable procedure. This method allowed the detection of each of the enantiomers in the presence of the other down to 0.23% (m/m). The overall composition of the heparin material from different sources can however be slightly variable and this can result in small differences in resolution capability.     

The adsorption of Naproxen enantiomers on the chiral stationary phase Whelk-O1 under reversed-phase conditions: The effect of buffer composition

The adsorption of the Naproxen enantiomers on the chiral stationary phase (S,S)-Whelk-O1 from methanol–water 80:20 (v/v) solutions modified with the addition of acetic acid or an acetic acid–sodium acetate buffer was studied using elution chromatography. Adsorption was found to be best accounted for by a two-site model assuming different retention mechanisms for the two enantiomers. Under experimental conditions causing a considerable degree of solute dissociation, strong distortion of overloaded band profiles is observed. This phenomenon is explained by the superimposition of the adsorption and the dissociation equilibria. The effect of the buffer composition on the retention is discussed and the results compared with previous ones obtained with the same system. The proposed model explains all the principal features of the adsorption of Naproxen on Whelk-O1 that were found earlier. Moreover this model applies well in a wider range of buffer concentrations, encompassing both the eluents in which solute dissociation is suppressed and those in which dissociation is significant.     

量子化学计算解析手性共价有机框架材料6色谱固定相的手性拆分机理

为探究手性共价有机框架材料6(Chiral Covalent Organic Frameworks 6, CCOF6)色谱固定相的手性拆分机理,首先运用ORCA程序对CCOF6及4对手性对映体进行结构优化,然后使用AutoDock程序对CCOF6及各对映体分子进行分子对接,获得CCOF6与对映体相互作用的初始构型;采用ORCA程序(B3LYP泛函,带DFT-D3校正,轨道基组为def2-TZVP, def2/J作为RI-J的辅助基组,RIJCOSX用来加速计算)对初始构型进行能量计算,以最终确定CCOF6与对映体的相互作用构型,并获得相应的结合自由能和结合自由能差;使用Multiwfn程序对ORCA结果进行独立梯度模型分析,并应用视觉分子动力学程序可视化展示CCOF6与对映体的弱相互作用。结果表明:①在计算结合自由能方面,考虑了溶剂效应的ORCA计算方法比不考虑溶剂效应的ORCA以及AutoDock计算方法更为精确;②CCOF6色谱固定相与对映体之间的结合自由能差绝对值越大,对映体的选择性因子也越大,然而对映体的分离度不一定会越大;③除S-1-苯基-1-丙醇是以羟基和CCOF6的醚键发生相互作用外,其他对映体皆为羟基与CCOF6的羰基发生相互作用,且S-1-苯基-1-丙醇与CCOF6的结合力最弱;④结合对映体的出峰时间和其与CCOF6的结合自由能大小可以推断,正己烷/异丙醇流动相对1-苯基-1-丙醇的洗脱能力最弱,正己烷/异丙醇流动相对1-苯基-2-丙醇的洗脱能力次弱;⑤除了S-1-苯基-1-丙醇出峰时间迟于R-1-苯基-1-丙醇,其余对映体均为R型出峰时间迟于S型。     

A Validated Chiral HPLC Method for the Determination of Enantiomeric Purity of R-β-amino-β-(4-methoxyphenyl) Propionic Acid

A normal phase chiral LC method for chiral purity evaluation of β-amino-β-(4-methoxyphenyl) propionic acid was developed on donor–acceptor (pirkle) column. The chiral stationary phase used was a 250 × 4.6 mm (R, R) Whelk-01 with 5 μm particle size, which was accompanied with a 1 cm long guard column. The “hybrid” pi-electron donor–acceptor based stationary phase (R, R) Whelk-01 was found to be enantiomeric selective for (R) and (S) enantiomers of β-amino-β-(4-methoxyphenyl) propionic acid with a resolution >2.5. The concentration of 2-propanol and TFA in the mobile phase plays an important role on the chrmatographic efficiency and resolution between the enantiomers. The limit of detection and limit of quantification of (S) enantiomer was 0.3 and 1.0 μg mL^-1 for 20 μL injection volume. The percentage RSD of the peak area of six replicate injections of (S) enantiomer at LOQ concentration was 4.5. The percentage recovery of (S) enantiomer from (R) enantiomer samples ranged from 92 to 100. The test solution was observed to be stable up to 24 h after the preparation. The developed method was also checked by different analysts and on different lots of columns, reagents and it was proved to be rugged. The developed normal phase chiral LC method can be used for the determination of the enantiomeric purity of R-β-amino-β-(4-methoxyphenyl) propionic acid.     

Brush-type chiral stationary phase for enantioseparation of acidic compounds. Optimization of chiral capillary electrochromatographic parameters

The capillary electrochromatographic separations of three acidic enantiomers (carprofen, coumachlor and warfarin) were studied on a capillary column packed with 5 microm (3R,4S)-Whelk-O 1 chiral stationary phase. The influence of several experimental parameters (mobile phase pH, type of background electrolyte, acetonitrile ratio, temperature, applied voltage and ionic strength) on electroosmotic flow velocity, retention factor, selectivity factor, efficiency, resolution and effectiveness of chiral separation was evaluated. It was notable that the optimum resolution of the acidic enantiomers was achieved at pH 3.0 phosphate buffer, suggesting that capillary electrochromatography in the ion-suppressed mode can be applied for chiral separations of a range of acidic compounds.     

高效液相色谱法直接测定几种非甾体类解热镇痛药物中的对映体含量

用WHELK-O1手性色谱柱，在正相条件下测定了几种非甾体类解热镇痛药物萘普生、布洛芬、酮基布洛芬和苯氧布洛芬等中对映体的含量。结果表明：这种手性固定相色谱柱能够以正己烷和异丙醇为流动相，简便、快速、准确地测定非甾类药物中对映体的含量。     

Preparation of Cyclodextrin Type Stationary Phase Based on Graphene Oxide and Its Application in Enantioseparation and Hydrophilic Interaction Chromatography

Graphene oxide (GO) was covalently coupled to the surface of amino silica gel by amide bond. β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) was further chemically bonded with GO to prepare a novel chiral stationary phase. The resulting material was characterized by Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), elemental analysis and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The separation of seven enantiomers was improved in varying degrees. Meanwhile, the stationary phase showed typical characteristics of hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC), and four small nucleoside molecules were separated with the mobile phase of methanol-acetonitrile-water (45:45:10, V/V) in the HILIC mode. In addition, the separation mechanism of the stationary phase was further explored by studying the effects of mobile phase composition, temperature and pH value on the analyte retention. The low temperature was conducive to the separation of analytes at 20–60 °C. The addition of protonated solvent methanol significantly decreased the retention time of the four analytes. The change of pH affected the degree of protonation of the analyte, the interaction between analytes and the stationary phase, and retention time of analytes. The results showed that GO and β-CD played a synergistic effect in the chiral resolution of the chromatographic stationary phase. The retention of analytes in HILIC was attributed to their mixed-mode retention mechanisms including hydrophilic interaction, electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking and so on.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic enantioseparation of beta-amino acid stereoisomers on a (+)-(18-crown-6)-2,3,11,12-tetracarboxylic acid-based chiral stationary phase

Direct reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic methods were developed for the separation of enantiomers of 14 unnatural beta-amino acids, including several beta-3-homo-amino acids on a chiral stationary phase containing (+)-(18-crown-6)-2,3,11,12-tetracarboxylic acid bonded to 3-aminopropyl silica gel as chiral selector. The effects of the organic and the acidic modifiers and the mobile phase composition on the separation were investigated. The natures and positions of the substituents on the aromatic ring substantially influenced the retention and enantioseparation. The elution sequence in most cases was determined and the R enantiomers were eluteted before the S enantiomers.     

Modelling neurotransmitter functions: a laser spectroscopic study of (1S,2S)-N-methyl pseudoephedrine and its complexes with achiral and chiral molecules

Wavelength and mass resolved resonance-enhanced two photon ionization (R2PI) excitation spectra of (1S,2S)-N-methyl pseudoephedrine (MPE) and its complexes with several achiral and chiral solvent molecules, including water (W), methyl (R)-lactate (L(R)), methyl (S)-lactate (L(S)), (R)-2-butanol (B(R)), and (S)-2-butanol (B(S)), have been recorded after a supersonic molecular beam expansion and examined in the light of ab initio calculations. The spectral patterns of the selected complexes have been interpreted in terms of the specific hydrogen-bond interactions operating in the diastereomeric complexes, whose nature in turn depends on the structure and the configuration of the solvent molecule. The obtained results confirm the view that a representative neurotransmitter molecule, like MPE, "communicates" with the enantiomers of a chiral substrate through different, specific interactions. These findings can be regarded as a further contribution to modelling neurotransmitter functions in biological systems.     

Simultaneous determination of phenylglycidol enantiomers and cinnamyl alcohol in asymmetric epoxidation processes by chiral liquid chromatography

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of phenylglycidol enantiomers and cinnamyl alcohol (CA). Separations were achieved on an amylose tris(3, 5-dymethylphenylcarbamate) chiral stationary phase (Chiralpak AD). The effect of concentration of organic modifier (2-propanol and ethanol) in the mobile phase and flow-rate was studied. The mobile phase selected consisted of a mixture of n-hexane-ethanol (85:15, v/v) with a flow-rate of 1.2 ml/min. The UV-vis detector was set at 254 nm. Resolution for the phenylglycidol enantiomers in the suitable chromatographic conditions was 2.4 with an analysis time of 12 min. The method developed was validated and was found to be linear in the range from 5 x 10(-4) to 3 x 10(-2) M, for phenylglycidol enantiomers and in the range from 5 x 10(-5) to 1 x 10(-3) M, for CA (r > 0.999 for the three compounds). Repeatability and intermediate precision for the three analytes at three different concentrations were below 3.6 and 2.8% R.S.D., respectively. This method has been applied to study the asymmetric epoxidation of CA with titanium(IV) alkoxide compounds as catalysts in order to evaluate their catalytic activity and stereoselectivity of the epoxidation processes.     

Direct enantiomeric TLC resolution of dl-penicillamine using (R)-mandelic acid and l-tartaric acid as chiral impregnating reagents and as chiral mobile phase additive

DL-Penicillamine has been resolved into its enantiomers by normal-phase TLC using L-tartaric acid as chiral impregnating reagent as well as chiral mobile phase additive, while (R)-mandelic acid has been found to be successful as a chiral impregnating reagent. The solvent system acetonitrile-methanol-water (5:1:1, v/v) was found to be successful when L-tartaric acid was used as impregnating agent while the solvent combination acetonitrile-methanol-(0.5% l-tartaric acid in water, pH 5)-glacial acetic acid (7:1:1.1:0.7, v/v) was successful as mobile phase as it contained L-tartaric acid as the chiral additive. (R)-mandelic acid was successful as chiral impregnating reagent with ethyl acetate-methanol-water (3:1:1, v/v), as the mobile phase. The effects of concentration of chiral selectors, temperature and pH were examined on enantiomeric resolution. The spots were detected with iodine vapors and the detection limits were found to be 0.12 microg for each enantiomer of penicillamine with L-tartaric acid, under both the conditions, and 0.11 microg with (R)-mandelic acid.     

衍生化β-环糊精手性固定相高效液相色谱法拆分米那普仑对映体及其分离机制

建立了新型抗抑郁药米那普仑在环糊精手性固定相上的高效液相色谱拆分方法。在反相色谱条件下采用未衍生化β-环糊精(Cyclobond I 2000)、乙酰基-β-环糊精(AC-β-CD)、2,3-二甲基-β-环糊精(DM-β-CD)、3,5-二甲基苯基氨基甲酸酯-β-环糊精(DMP-β-CD)4种手性柱分离米那普仑对映体。考察了固定相、流动相比例、pH、流速和柱温对拆分的影响。利用分子对接和结合能计算方法,研究米那普仑分子与AC-β-CD的对接过程,探讨其可能的分离机制。优化后的拆分条件如下:固定相为乙酰基-β-环糊精手性柱Astec CYCLOBONDTMI 2000 AC(25 cm×4.6 mm,5μm),流动相为乙腈-0.1%(体积分数)pH 5.0醋酸三乙胺溶液(TEAA)(5∶95,v/v),流速为0.4mL/min,柱温为25℃,检测波长为220 nm。在此条件下,米那普仑对映体获得快速拆分,分离度(Rs)为1.74,理论塔板数为10 125。分子模拟结果表明引起手性识别的作用力主要是环糊精衍生化的乙酰基导致的氢键作用差异。该方法快速、高效、重现性好。