Direct separation of drug enantiomers by high-performance liquid chromatography with chiral stationary phases

Enantioseparation of 5-chloro-2-{2-[3,4-dihydroisoquinoline-2(1H)-yl]ethyl}-2-methyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-one (SYA 40247), a high-affinity 5-HT7 receptor ligand, by HPLC-PDA using amylose tris-(3, 5- dimethylphenylcarbamate) as a chiral stationary phase

In previous structure-activity relationship studies to identify new and selective 5-HT₇ receptor (5-HT₇ R) ligands, we identified the chiral compound, 5-chloro-2-{2-[3,4-dihydroisoquinoline-2(1H)-yl]ethyl}-2-methyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-one (SYA 40247), with high-affinity binding to the 5-HT₇ R. Thus, it was of interest to separate the enantiomers in order to evaluate their affinity at the 5-HT₇ R. To achieve this separation, a normal-phase analytical method using HPLC-PDA and a 4.6 × 250 mm Chiralpak AD-H column was developed. Optimized isocratic conditions of 1.00 mL/min 95:5:0.1 v/v/v hexane-ethanol-diethylamine and a 254 nm analysis wavelength yielded a 6.07 min baseline separation. The method was scaled up to a 10 × 250 mm Chiralpak AD-H column, allowing 3 mg of racemate to be separated with a single injection, and 6 mg for an overlapping double injection in the same run. The separated enantiomers were reinjected into the analytical HPLC system, peak identities confirmed by retention time and PDA UV spectra, and the enantiomeric purities determined to be 100% for peak 1 and 100% for peak 2. A Jasco P-1020 polarimeter was used to determine the specific rotation [α] of the enantiomers of peaks 1 and 2, which were -86.2 and +93.3 (deg mL)/(g dm) respectively. No racemization was observed, and the enantiomeric purity remained at 100% for each peak.

Construction of Electrochemical Chiral Interfaces with Integrated Polysaccharides via Amidation

Polysaccharides of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and chitosan (CS) were integrated together via amidation reactions between the carboxyl groups on sodium CMC and the amino groups on CS. Compared with individual sodium CMC and CS, the integrated polysaccharides with a mass ratio of 1:1, CMC-CS (1:1), exhibited a three-dimensional (3D) porous network structure, resulting in a significantly enhanced hydrophility due to the exposed polar functional groups in the CMC-CS (1:1). Chiral interfaces were constructed with the integrated polysaccharides and used for electrochemical enantiorecognition of tryptophan (Trp) isomers. The CMC-CS (1:1) chiral interfaces exhibited excellent selectivity toward the Trp isomers owing to the highly hydrophilic feature of CMC-CS (1:1) and the different steric hindrance during the formation of H bonds between Trp isomers and CMC-CS (1:1). Also, the optimization in the preparation of integrated polysaccharides such as mass ratio and combination mode (amidation or electrostatic interactions) was investigated. The CMC-CS (1:1) presented the ability of determining the percentage of d-Trp in racemic mixtures, and thus, the proposed electrochemical chiral interfaces could be regarded as a potential biosensing platform for enantiorecognition of chiral compounds.

Wave-mixing circular dichroism detector for chiral liquid chromatography

A circular dichroism (CD) detector based on laser four-wave mixing (FWM) is demonstrated using separate injections of analyte enantiomers onto a standard silica-based microbore high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) column. Using the chiral column, a preliminary "detected" mass detection limit of 180 pg is determined inside a laser probe volume of 200 pL, corresponding to a circular dichroism detection limit, DeltaA, of 2.2 x 10(-5) for (-) camphorquinone. Detection sensitivity levels are dramatically improved when our FWM-CD detector is interfaced to a microbore system due to the lower mobile-phase flow rates and the smaller sample concentrations required for the analysis. Using the microbore column, a preliminary circular dichroism detection limit, DeltaA, of 1.6 x 10(-6) and a preliminary concentration detection limit of 4.1 x 10(-4) M are determined for camphorquinone. This corresponds to a "detected" mass detection limit of 33 pg for the chiral compound. Laser wave mixing offers better detection limits than conventional circular dichroism detection methods and, hence, offers many promising applications.

Chiral analysis of drug substance in clinical plasma extracts using achiral HPLC with circular dichroism detection

A circular dichroism (CD) detector in series with a UV detector was used with reversed-phase gradient HPLC to do the chiral analysis of unresolved enantiomers of a single stereoisomer drug substance in extracts of clinical plasma samples. The CD/UV peak area ratio of the unresolved enantiomers in the plasma extracts was calculated and compared with pure drug substance standards to show that there was no racemization of the chiral center during pharmacokinetic studies. The CD detector can be used only with chiral compounds with a UV chromophore and the limit of detection was approximately 5 ng with the drug substance and chromatographic conditions used in this study.

Enantioselective determination of cetirizine in human urine by HPLC

In order to study the simultaneous determination of (+)- and (-)-cetirizine in human urine we have developed a chiral separation method by HPLC. A chiral stationary phase of alpha1-acidglycoprotein, the AGP-CSP, was used to separate the enantiomers. The pH of the phosphate buffer, as well as the content of the organic modifier in the mobile phase, markedly affected the chromatographic separation of (+)- and (-)-cetirizine. A mobile phase of 10 mmol/l phosphate buffer (pH 7.0)-acetonitrile (95: 5, v/v) was used for the urine assays. Ultraviolet absorption was monitored at 230 nm and roxatidine was employed as the internal standard for quantification. (+)-Cetirizine, (-)-cetirizine and the internal standard were eluted at retention times of 12, 16, and 32 mins, respectively. The detection limit for cetirizine enantiomers was 400 ng/ml of urine. A pharmacokinetic study was conducted with the help of 5 healthy female volunteers who were administered with a single oral dose of racemic cetirizine (20 mg). The peak area ratios provided by the cetirizine enantiomers were linear (r>0.997) over a concentration range of 2.5-200 microg/ml. The peak of the excreted cetirizine enantiomers appeared in the urine sample during the period of 1-2 hrs following the administration of the oral dose. The excreted level of (+)-cetirizine was slightly higher than (-)-cetirizine but the difference was not statistically significant. However, this method appears to have applications for enantioselective pharmacokinetic studies of racemic drugs.

Production and characterization of 22 monoclonal antibodies directed against S 20499, a new potent 5-HT1A chiral agonist: influence of the hapten structure on specificity and stereorecognition

PURPOSE

An immunoconjugate model was proposed to produce stereoselective monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) for the quantitation of a 5-HT1A agonist, S 20499. MAbs produced were characterized in terms of stereoselectivity and specificity towards the opposite enantiomer and structural analogs.

METHODS

The immunogen was formed following the effective addition of a butanoic acid spacer arm between the parent S 20499 structure and bovine serum albumin (BSA). After fusion (modified Köhler and Milstein's procedure), specificity of MAbs was obtained using the Abraham's criteria. Experimental and calculated partition coefficients were determined.

RESULTS

Twenty-two hybridoma cell lines were established secreting MAbs (apparent association constants ranging from 1.1 x 10(8) to 2.8 X 10(9) M(-1)). Several MAbs showed cross-reactivity levels of less than 5% with S 20500 (optical antipode), which could allow a stereospecific assay to be set up. Both chroman and azaspiro moieties were part of the epitopic site. Dealkylation and hydroxylation(s) led to various crossreactivity levels. Four antibody families were described in terms of specificity.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlighted the influence of the immunoconjugate construction (coupling site and type of spacer arm) in the immuno-stereospecificity of Abs. The results obtained for two monohydroxylated metabolites suggest that the lipophilicity behavior could be a valuable tool for predicting Ab-crossreactivity.

Pharmaceutical development and specification of stereoisomers

The pharmaceutical development of chiral drugs requires the activities of many different research and development groups. Guidelines which help to coordinate the activities of these groups and assist in the successful development of compounds with either single or multiple chiral centers are outlined and discussed.

Direct enantiomeric separations by high performance liquid chromatography using cyclodextrins

Due to their identical chemical and physical properties, the separation of enantiomers has been considered one of the most difficult challenges in chemistry from both an analytical or a preparative viewpoint. With the development and commercialization of many new or improved chiral stationary phases and chiral additives, interest in enantiomeric separation by HPLC has grown tremendously in the last two decades. Cyclodextrins and modified cyclodextrins are widely used chiral selectors. They are used as either the chiral stationary phases, as chiral mobile phase additives, or as chiral counter-ions. This review describes the historical development of derivatized and underivatized cyclodextrins in HPLC and their various applications.

Production and characterization of polyclonal anti-S 20499 antibodies: influence of the hapten structure on stereospecificity

Immunoassays were studied as an alternative to HPLC methods for the stereoselective determination of a chiral drug, S 20499, a new anxiolytic compound that is chemically related to buspirone. The production of highly stereospecific polyclonal antibodies was sought following the construction of appropriately optimized hapten-protein conjugates. This process involved the selection of the structure and the length of the spacer arm used to couple S 20499 to the carrier protein as well as deciding on the location of the coupling site with respect to the chiral center. Two haptens were prepared: one a derivative resembling the original structure of S 20499, with the effective addition of a carboxylic acid group, and a second with the effective addition of a butanoic acid moiety that is supposed to favor stereorecognition. Six stereospecific polyclonal antisera were obtained in rabbits with two groups of antibody families defined in terms of specificity. Both approaches gave high levels of stereospecificity (cross-reactivity towards the optical antipode of S 20499 ranged from 4.1% to < 0.1%). Although it did not decrease the mean apparent affinity constant, the longer spacer improved antibody specificity by decreasing cross-reactions towards dealkylated S 20499 derivatives. Hence, the addition of a four carbon atom bridge should be a valuable tool for increasing antibody stereospecificity with no drawbacks in terms of specificity and affinity. It was also shown that long immunization periods appear to have no effect on the stereospecificity of the antibodies obtained.

High-performance liquid chromatographic separation of an HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitor and its enantiomer

This article describes the direct separation of an HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitor and its enantiomer by HPLC on a silica-bonded polyacrylamide (ChiraSpher) column. The column selection was based on specific interactions between the individual enantiomers and the chiral stationary phase. The influence of some chromatographic conditions, such as concentration of the polar modifier in the mobile phase, column flow-rate and column temperature, on column performance was investigated. The separation was applied to the determination of the minor enantiomer in the bulk drug and as low as 0.3% of minor enantiomer was detectable.

Introduction of migration indices for identification: chiral separation of some beta-blockers by using cyclodextrins in micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography

Because of the different physiological impact that stereoisomers may have, it is often vital to separate these forms from one another. Because of their structural similarity, the separation is usually difficult to achieve and zones may elute very close to each other. This is a particular problem in capillary electrophoresis, where the repeatability of absolute migration times is fairly poor, mainly due to the irreproducibility of the electroosmotic flow. The separation is usually repeatable, however, and when the disturbing effects are eliminated by using a migration index system incorporating two marker compounds the identification of the enantiomers becomes extremely good. Relative standard deviation (RSD) values less than 0.1% for the migration index of each enantiomer were obtained in both intra-day and day-to-day (6 days) studies. The best separation was achieved with the electrolyte solution made of 40 mM borate, 32 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), 12 mM beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD), and 6 mM alpha-cyclodextrin (alpha-CD) at pH 9.3.

Sensitive determination of bisoprolol enantiomers in plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography using fluorescence detection, and application to preliminary study in humans

A sensitive, stereoselective high-performance liquid chromatographic method with fluorescence detection for the measurement of bisoprolol enantiomers in human plasma and urine has been developed. Bisoprolol was extracted at alkaline pH with chloroform, followed by solid-phase extraction. The effluent was evaporated, and the reconstituted residue was chromatographed on a Chiralcel OD column with a mobile phase of hexane-2-propanol (10:0.9, v/v) containing 0.01% (v/v) diethylamine. Within the plasma and urine enantiomeric concentration ranges of 5-100 ng/ml and 25-1250 ng/ml, respectively, a linear relationship was obtained between the peak-height ratios and the corresponding concentrations. The limit of quantitation, defined as three times the baseline noise, was 2 ng/ml for each enantiomer in plasma. A preliminary pharmacokinetic study was undertaken in three healthy male volunteers following an oral dose of 5 mg of racemic bisoprolol. The results confirm that this assay is suitable for pharmacokinetic studies of bisoprolol enantiomers in humans following oral administration of the therapeutic dose.

Resolution of enantiomers of amino acids by HPLC

Application of HPLC as a prime tool in the area of enantiomeric resolution has opened doors of success and varied interest. Use of chiral reagents either indirectly (as derivatization reagent) or directly (added to stationary or mobile phase) has led to achieve resolution of a wide range of compounds. Amino acids, being important molecules with simple structure and easy availability, have been extensively studied. A bibliographic survey on HPLC resolution of amino acids and derivatives along with a brief discussion on general methods of enantiomeric separation has been presented.

Direct high-performance liquid chromatographic resolution of the enantiomers of tiaprofenic acid using immobilized human serum albumin

Resolution of racemic tiaprofenic acid (TA) has been performed using immobilized human serum albumin as the stationary phase. The eluent was phosphate buffer-acetonitrile-n-octanoic acid (90:10:0.015, v/v). Detection was achieved at 305 nm. The pharmacokinetics of the enantiomers were studied following oral administration into humans and after subcutaneous injection in rats. Plasma concentrations of (+)-TA were much greater than those of (-)-TA. For the rat, the pharmacokinetic parameters between (-)-TA and (+)-TA were all statistically different (p < 0.005).

Methods for the analysis of enantiomers of racemic drugs application to pharmacological and pharmacokinetic studies

Although the existence and differences in biological behavior of optical isomers have long been appreciated, there has been an apparent reluctance to address these differences in pharmacology and the pharmaceutical sciences. At least part of this reluctance arises from the belief that the separation of enantiomers requires highly specialized analytical equipment and expertise. The purpose of this review is to present general principles that allow the separation of stereoisomers and demonstrate that these procedures can be accomplished using available and convenient chromatography techniques.

Mirror images: the analysis of pharmaceutical enantiomers

Pharmaceutical enantiomers often exhibit different pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties. Stereospecific chromatographic assays are available to separate these stereoisomers. Therapeutic agents often contain chemical functional groups (e.g. amino, hydroxyl, carbonyl, and carboxylic acid). These can be reacted with enantiomerically pure reagents to give diastereoisomers suitable for analysis on achiral gas chromatographic (GC) and high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) columns. Alternatively, derivatized or underivatized drugs may be resolved on chiral chromatographic phases. A wide variety of GC (e.g. amino acid, cyclodextrin, and metal-complex) and HPLC (mobile phase additive, crown ether, pi-pi interaction and related phases, protein, cyclodextrin, polysaccharide, methacrylate and amide polymer, and ligand exchange) columns are commercially available. This article reviews the chromatographic separation of enantiomers.

The chiral chromatographic separation of β-adrenoceptor blocking drugs

Over 100 chromatographic procedures for the separation of beta-blocker enantiomers are reviewed including a large number for the analysis of biological samples. All the principal chiral chromatographic procedures have found use, namely Chiral Mobile Phase Additives (CMPA), Chiral Derivatization Agents (CDA) and Chiral Stationary Phases (CSP). Chiral Mobile Phase Additives are less frequently employed than the other two procedures and many of the earlier methods were based on the use of CDAs. However, the recent development of sophisticated custom-made CSPs has allowed the separation of native (underivatized) analytes and this approach appears to be gaining in popularity. The beta-blockers are an extensive group of drugs and stereoselective separations have been reported for 40 different structures.

Immobilized proteins as chromatographic supports for chiral resolution

This review examines the role of protein-bonded chiral stationary phases (CSPs) in enantiomeric separation and investigates the performance characteristics and desired properties of protein CSPs for separation and large-scale operation. The review also discusses the ability of protein-based CSPs to examine the stereochemistry of drug metabolism processes.

Preparative separation and analysis of the enantiomers of [3H]Abbott-69992, an HIV anti-infective nucleoside, by ligand-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography

Several chiral stationary phases (CSPs) were examined to separate the enantiomers of A-69992, a chiral HIV anti-infective nucleoside. The only CSP found to be effective was Nucleosil Chiral-1, a ligand-exchange CSP, which was used to prepare microgram amounts of the enantiomers of high optical purity. This appears to be the first separation of the enantiomers of a nucleoside by chiral high-performance liquid chromatography.

Dye-promoted precipitation of serum proteins. Mechanism and application

Immobilized dyes have been used primarily for purification of nucleotide dependent enzymes and proteins from plasma and other sources. Due to their low costs, high protein binding capacity and resistance to degradation dyes bear the potential as ligand for affinity separation of proteins on a large scale. In this paper dyes have been used for precipitation of proteins. Using albumin, prealbumin, alpha 1-acid glycoprotein and immunoglobulin G as model proteins we could demonstrate that dye-promoted precipitation depends on several factors which include the structure of the dye, the pH of the solution, the dye/protein molar ratio and the intrinsic properties of the proteins. It revealed that most of the dyes tested were endowed with the precipitating potential. The efficacy of precipitation was found to increase with the complexity of the dye structure. However, the amount of a dye required for total precipitation was found to be different for a given protein. Electrostatic as well as hydrophobic forces are involved in the mechanism of precipitation. It was demonstrated that by optimizing the conditions, mixtures of proteins can be resolved by dye-promoted precipitation. The high sensitivity of the reaction offers the possibility of using this method for rapid concentration of very diluted protein solutions.

Stereoselective pharmacokinetics and inversion of suprofen enantiomers in humans

The stereoselective pharmacokinetics of suprofen enantiomers has been studied in humans by means of stable isotope-labeled pseudoracemate-diastereomer methodology. After a single oral dose of a near equimolar mixture of unlabeled-(R)-(-)- and [2H3]-(S)-(+)-suprofen [or unlabeled-(S)- and [2H3]-(R)-suprofen] to three healthy male subjects, the plasma concentrations of drug were determined by a stereospecific gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method. Racemic [2H7]suprofen was used as an internal standard. The method involved chiral derivatization with (S)-(-)-1-(naphthyl)ethylamine to form the diastereomeric amide. The plasma concentrations were consistently higher for the (R)-isomer than the (S)-isomer. No significant difference in the elimination half-life of the enantiomers was observed. An average of 6.8% of an administered dose of the (R)-isomer was stereospecifically inverted to the (S)-isomer. There was no measurable inversion of the (S)- to (R)-isomer. The present stable isotope-labeled pseudoracemate-diastereomer methodology has made it possible to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of each enantiomer, including the estimation of chiral inversion after administration of the racemic mixture.

High-performance liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of R-(-)- and S-(+)-hexobarbital in rat plasma

The enantiospecific determination of R- and S-hexobarbital in rat plasma is described. The method involves liquid-liquid extraction of racemic hexobarbital from plasma, separation of the underivatized enantiomers by high-performance liquid chromatography on an alpha 1-acid glycoprotein column and ultraviolet detection. The mobile phase consists of a phosphate buffer (pH 5.4) containing 0.4% 2-propanol as organic modifier. An alpha 1-acid glycoprotein guard column is used to increase the lifetime of the analytical column. Heptabarbital is the achiral internal standard. With detection limits of ca. 0.05 microgram/ml for both R- and S-hexobarbital, the assay is suitable for pharmacokinetic studies of the enantiomers in rats.

Pharmacological aspects of chiral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Most NSAIDs are chiral molecules: they exist under 2 configurations of non-superimposable mirror images which are termed enantiomers or optical isomers or optical antipodes. Direct or indirect (resolution) methods are used to separate this equal mixture of compounds. Some of the enantiomers of the NSAIDs are able to undergo chiral inversion from the inactive R(-) to the active S(+) form. The pharmacokinetics in terms of absorption, distribution, metabolism, protein binding and elimination may be different for the 2 enantiomers, leading to interindividual variability in clinical response and drug toxicity.

Chromatography of beta-adrenergic blocking agents

The determination of beta-blockers has posed pharmaceutical analysts with a variety of problems arising from the essential characteristics of these compounds as bases and the variability of physicochemical properties of individual drugs. Liquid chromatography has become the favoured method of analysis and to a certain extent there is a standardised approach to analysis based on either solvent or solid-phase extraction and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to fluorescence detection. The analyst must be aware of interactions occurring during extraction stages. All manipulations should be fully evaluated for individual drugs and metabolites prior to use. Other analytical options are chosen for specific or more demanding applications. The use of unmodified silicas for the liquid chromatography of beta-blockers (and other basic drugs) is an example of a potential alternative mode of chromatography. The stereoselectivity of the pharmacology of beta-blockers has spawned a great deal of literature describing the resolution of enantiomers by chromatographic methods. It is envisaged that this area will achieve greater prominence in the future as drug development pursues optical purity. The demand for the availability of enantiomerically pure pharmaceutical preparations will certainly see developments for preparative-scale separations as well as analytical methods and will surely promote developments in new and established methods of chromatography.

Chiral high performance liquid chromatography of drug molecules

The individual enantiomers of racemic drugs frequently differ in their biological effects. For pharmacological studies of such drugs there is therefore a need for an effective means of separating and quantifying the enantiomers in biological samples. As their physicochemical properties are similar, the assay of enantiomers is generally regarded as difficult, time-consuming and error-prone. However, recent developments in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) chiral stationary phase technology overcome some of these problems and provide a more efficient and reliable way of assaying enantiomeric drugs.

Development of direct stereoselective and non-stereoselective assays in biological fluids for the enantiomers of a thieno[2,3-b]thiopyran-2-sulfonamide, a topically effective carbonic anhydrase inhibitor

A stereoselective assay for the optical isomers [(S) and (R)] of 5,6-dihydro-4-[(2-methylpropyl)amino]-4H-thieno[2,3-b]thiopyran-2- sulfonamide-7,7-dioxide in human whole blood has been developed. The assay is based on direct enantiomer separation on a chiral stationary phase column of bovine serum albumin attached to silica. The effect of pH, ionic strength, column length and organic modifier on chiral separation has been studied. The assay methodology, based on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet (UV) detection (252 nm), has been fully validated in the concentration range 25-250 ng/ml of each enantiomer. Since no interconversion of the isomers was observed in vivo for the clinical studies involving the single (S)-enantiomer, a more sensitive (2.5 ng/ml), non-stereoselective assay has been developed. This method, also based on HPLC with UV detection, was fully validated in whole blood, plasma and urine in the concentration range 2.5-100 ng/ml. The details of these assays, together with some representative data from a pilot human study, are also presented.

Direct enantiomeric separation of saterinone by high-performance liquid chromatography

A new method is described for the direct liquid chromatographic separation and determination of the enantiomers of saterinone, 1-[(4-cyano-1,2-dihydro-6-methyl-2-oxopyridinyl-5)-phenoxy]-3-[4-( 2- methoxyphenyl)piperazinyl-1]-propan-2-ol, using a Chiralcel OD column with methanol as eluent and a temperature set to 10 degrees C. Several lots of synthesized enantiomers were analysed for their enantiomeric purity of more than 99%, because of the excellent resolution (Rs = 2.2). Furthermore the enantiomeric ratio was determined in plasma samples after oral and intravenous administration of racemic saterinone.

Importance of enantiomeric purity and its control by thin-layer chromatography

Methods for the direct resolution of enantiomers are important and are necessary for pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis, synthetic and mechanistic studies and various other fields. The present paper deals with the results of recent approaches, such as ligand exchange, ion exchange and steric interactions, providing direct resolution of enantiomers of a variety of compounds by thin-layer chromatography. General aspects of various methods for analysis of enantiomeric purity and resolution have been compared.

Liquid chromatographic analysis of atenolol enantiomers in human plasma and urine

A sensitive, stereospecific high-performance liquid chromatographic assay of atenolol (AT) enantiomers in human plasma and urine was developed. After addition of internal standard (IS, methoxamine) and alkalinization of the plasma, the drug and IS were extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was evaporated and, after addition of saturated sodium carbonate, the residue was derivatized with (-)-menthyl chloroformate at ambient temperature; the reaction was complete within 30 s, with an efficiency of 97.2 +/- 2.6%. The diastereomeric derivatives of AT and IS were then extracted into chloroform and analyzed on a C18 column with a mobile phase consisting of water: acetonitrile: methanol. The samples were detected utilizing a fluorescent detector. Water-diluted urine samples were derivatized directly and then subjected to the same procedure as plasma. Under these conditions, AT diastereomers were separated with a resolution factor of 1.94, free of any interfering peak. An excellent linear relationship (r greater than or equal to 0.998) was obtained between the peak area ratios and the corresponding concentrations in the ranges 12.5-250 and 250-2500 ng/mL for plasma and urine, respectively. The applicability of the method is demonstrated by analysis of plasma and urine concentrations of individual enantiomers of AT after oral administration of a single 100-mg dose to a healthy subject.

T.l.c. enantiomeric separation of amino acids

Resolution of enantiomers is very important particularly in the fields of asymmetric synthesis, mechanistic studies, geochronology, studies of structure-function relationship of proteins, pharmacology, and medicine. Various chromatographic methods have replaced the classical fractional crystallization, seeding and enzymatic procedures. Of these, t.l.c. provides a direct, simple, and inexpensive method for resolution of enantiomers of amino acids and their derivatives. Ligand exchange, ion exchange, and molecular inclusion complexation have been the basis of t.l.c. resolution of enantiomers of amino acids and their derivatives. The innovation of new plate types, and methods of development and detection have renewed interest in the direct resolution of enantiomers of amino acids, their derivatives and a variety of other compounds by t.l.c. The present report provides an overview of some of the more recent approaches to the direct t.l.c. resolution of amino acids and their derivatives together with special advantages and scope of t.l.c.

Resolution of enantiomers of the antiarrhythmic drug encainide and its major metabolites by chiral derivatization and high-performance liquid chromatography

Commercially available chiral columns were unable to provide adequate resolution of enantiomers of the antiarrhythmic drug encainide or its major metabolites. The homochiral derivatizing agent, (-)-menthyl chloroformate, was found to react at the tertiary piperidine nitrogen of racemic encainide providing two menthyl carbamate diastereomers. The individual diastereomers could be separated with baseline resolution on normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography on a silica column. Structures of the derivatives were confirmed by electron impact mass spectrometry and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The method was adapted for the chiral analysis of the major metabolites of encainide. The limit of sensitivity for racemic encainide was 10 ng on column and it was possible to detect a mixture containing (+)- and (-)-encainide in a ratio of 1:99. Preliminary studies indicated that (-)-encainide was O-demethylated to a greater extent than the (+)-enantiomer by rat liver microsomes.