Derivatives for separation of amino acid enantiomers

Summary An optimum gas chromatographic separation of all protein amino acids in one run on capillaries coated with Chirasil-Val is difficult to achieve. Overlap of enantiomers of different amino acids may occur because the relative retention times depend upon the overall polarity of the stationary phase, the film thickness and the actual temperature programm. Employment of different derivatives formed by esterification with isopropanol, n-propanol, isobutanol and n-butanol and by acylation with trifluoroacetic, pentafluoropropionic and heptafluorobutyric anhydrides yields patterns of relative elution of all amino acid enantiomers. Thus, even critical pairs of amino acid enantiomers can be separated or shifted in their relative retention times. All amino acid enantiomers can be separated and quantitatively estimated.