(S)‐Naproxen as a platform to develop chiral derivatizing reagent for reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatographic enantioseparation of analytes having a carbonyl functional group

(S)‐Naproxen was used to synthesize a chiral reagent, (S)‐2‐(6‐methoxynaphthalen‐2‐yl)propanehydrazide, by itsreaction with hydrazine hydrate in the presence of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide as coupling agent. The reagent was characterized and its chiral purity was established. It was used as a chiral derivatizing reagent for the synthesis of hydrazone diastereomers, under microwave irradiation, of certain chiral aldehydes and ketones. The respective diastereomers were separated by reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography using a binary solvent combination containing trifluoroacetic acid. The diastereomers were detected at 231 nm. The method was validated for accuracy, precision, and limit of detection (LOD). For a series of hydrazones the LOD was found to be in the range 1.62–1.65 pmol/mL. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.