endo-1,4,5,6,7,7-hexachlorobicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-2-carboxylic acid, a superior resolving agent for the high-performance liquid chromatographic separation of enantiomers of hydroxylated derivatives of two azaaromatic hydrocarbons

The high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) separation of enantiomers of oxide and hydroxy derivatives of dibenz[a,j]acridine and 7-methylbenz[c]acridine was investigated on a chiral stationary phase chromatography column using commercially available columns. In most cases either poor or no separation of enantiomers was achieved. Normal-phase separation of diastereoisomeric ester derivatives of the hydroxy compounds, prepared from commercially available (-)-menthoxyacetic acid or (+)-alpha-methoxy-alpha-(trifluoromethyl)phenylacetic acid, was investigated. No separation of the diastereoisomeric esters of trans-3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydrodibenz[a,j]acridine was observed. However, diastereoisomeric esters prepared from (+)-endo-1,4,5,6,7,7-hexachlorobicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-2-carboxyl ic acid [(+)-HCA] were easily separated. Using the three chiral acids, diastereoisomers were prepared from sixteen hydroxy derivatives of dibenz[a,j]acridine and 7-methylbenz[c]acridine. (+)-HCA esters gave good to excellent HPLC separations which were superior to those achieved using other chiral acids in most cases. The enantiomeric composition of trans-3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydrodibenz[a,j]acridine formed as a major rodent liver microsomal metabolite of dibenz[a,j]acridine was determined using (+)-HCA.