Direct high-performance liquid chromatographic enantioseparation of beta-lactam stereoisomers

High-performance liquid chromatographic methods were developed for the separation of the enantiomers of 12 beta-lactams. Direct separations were performed on chiral stationary phases (CSPs) containing cellulose-tris-3,5-dimethylphenyl carbamate (Chiralcel OD-RH and OD-H columns), the macrocyclic glycopeptide antibiotic teicoplanin (Chirobiotic T column), or teicoplanin aglycone (Chirobiotic TAG column) as the chiral selector. It was clearly established that, with teicoplanin-based columns, the teicoplanin aglycone was most often responsible for the enantioseparation of the beta-lactams. The difference in enantioselective free energy between the aglycone CSP and the teicoplanin CSP was in the range between 0.02 and 0.97 kJ mol(-1) for these beta-lactam stereoisomer separations. The separations were carried out with high selectivity and resolution, and the method was therefore suitable for monitoring of the enantiomeric excess after chiral synthesis. The Chirobiotic and Chiralcel columns appear to be highly complementary to one another. The best separation of this class of beta-lactam compound could be obtained using the Chirobiotic TAG in the polar-organic mode plus the Chiralcel OD-H in the normal-phase mode. The elution sequence was also determined.     

Enantioselective chromatography and absolute configuration of N,N-dimethyl-3-(naphthalen-2-yl)-butan-1-amines: potential sigma1 ligands

We describe the preparation of racemic N,N-dimethyl-3-(naphthalen-2-yl)-butan-1-amines, potential sigma1 ligands, and their resolution via chiral HPLC. In order to obtain enantiopure compounds, direct chromatographic methods of separation using chiral stationary phases were investigated. Different methods suitable for both analytical and semipreparative purposes are proposed. The best resolutions were achieved using cellulose tris (3,5-dimethylphenyl carbamate) (Chiralcel OD and OD-H) and amylose tris (3,5-dimethylphenyl carbamate) (Chiralpak AD). On the basis of the preliminary chromatographic results, the resolution of compound 1 was transferred onto a Chiralcel OD semipreparative column. The enantiomers were obtained in high enantiomeric excess. The configurational assignment was performed by circular dichroism. Computational analysis was used to explore the enantioselective recognition process of compound 1 with the Chiralcel OD stationary phase.     

Enantiomeric separation of substituted 2-arylindoles on derivatised polysaccharide chiral stationary phases

The enantiomeric separation of a series of 2-arylindoles, developed as 5HT(2A) receptor antagonists for the treatment of schizophrenia, was investigated. Evaluation of a number of chiral stationary phases (CSPs) suggested that Chiralcel OD-H and Chiralpak AD were the most versatile for these compounds, and were employed for more detailed studies. A degree of complementarity between the CSPs was observed, such that Chiralcel OD-H was more effective for piperidine-containing molecules and Chiralpak AD for piperazine- and morpholine-containing molecules. The presence of a basic secondary amine was detrimental chromatographically, but resolution was improved substantially by employing diethylamine (DEA) in the mobile phase. All separations were either enthalpy-controlled or showed no temperature dependence. Differential temperature effects between series highlighted the possibility of multiple binding modes on these CSPs. Based on this study, it is possible to make a more rational selection of chromatographic conditions for future novel analogues.     

Chiral investigation of midodrine, a long-acting alpha-adrenergic stimulating agent

Midodrine hydrochloride is a peripheral alpha(1)-adrenoreceptor agonist that induces venous and arterial vasoconstriction. Midodrine, after oral or intravenous administration, undergoes enzymatic hydrolysis and releases deglymidodrine, a pharmacologically active metabolite. Midodrine and deglymidodrine have a chiral carbon in the 2-position. To investigate the bioactivity of racemates and enantiomers of the drug and metabolite, three chromatographic chiral stationary phases, Chiralcel OD-H, Chiralcel OD-R, and alpha(1)-AGP, were evaluated for enantiomeric resolution. Good enantioseparation of midodrine racemate was obtained using the Chiralcel OD-H column. This stationary phase was then used to collect separately the midodrine enantiomers. By alkaline hydrolysis of rac-midodrine and each separated enantiomer, rac-deglymidodrine and its enantiomers were prepared. The control of the enantiomeric purity was carried out by alpha(1)-AGP stationary phase, while the hydrolysis of rac-midodrine and its enantiomers was controlled by capillary electrophoresis using trimethyl-beta-cyclodextrin as chiral selector. The pharmacological activity of the two racemates and the two enantiomeric pairs was tested in vitro on a strip of rabbit descending thoracic aorta. The tests continued that the activity of the drug and metabolite is due only to the (-)-enantiomer because neither of the (+)-enantiomers is active.     

Comparative HPLC enantioseparation of ferrocenylalcohols on two cellulose-based chiral stationary phases

The direct HPLC enantiomeric separation of several ferrocenylalcohols on the commercially available Chiralcel OD and Chiralcel OJ columns has been evaluated in normal-phase mode. Almost all the compounds were resolved on one or both chiral stationary phases (CSPs) with separation factor (alpha) ranging from 1.06 to 2.88 while the resolution (R(s)) varied from 0.63 to 12.70 In the separation of the alpha-ferrocenylalcohols 1a-e and the phenyl analogues 2a-e, which were all resolved except 1c, a similar trend in the retention behavior for the two series of alcohols was evidenced and the selectivity was roughly complementary on the two investigated CSP. For three ferrocenylacohols, chosen as model compounds, the influence of the mobile phase composition and temperature on the enantioseparation were investigated and additional information on the chiral recognition mechanism were deduced from the chromatographic behavior of their acetylderivatives.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic enantioseparation of 1-(aminoalkyl)-2-naphthol analogs on polysaccharide-based chiral stationary phases

The enantiomers of various 1-(alpha-aminobenzyl)-2-naphthol and 1-(aminoalkyl)-2-naphthol analogs were separated on cellulose-tris-3,5-dimethylphenyl carbamate-based chiral stationary phases (Chiralcel OD-H and Chiralcel OD-RH), using n-hexane/2-propanol/diethylamine or phosphate buffer/organic modifier mobile phases. The 3,5-dimethylphenyl carbamoylated cellulose columns were effective in both normal and rev ersed-phase modes. The effects of the mobile phase composition, the pH, the buffer concentration, and the structures of the substituents on the 2-naphthol on the enantioseparations were studied. The absolute configuration and elution sequence were determined for 1-(1-amino-2-methylpropyl)-2-naphthol: the elution sequence was S < R.     

Supercritical fluid chromatography comparison of the poly(trans-1,2-cyclohexanediyl-bis acrylamide) (P-CAP) column with several derivatized polysaccharide-based stationary phases

The poly(trans-1,2-cyclohexanediyl-bis acrylamide) (P-CAP) column has so far been primarily used with normal phase and polar organic mobile phase chromatography. Its use in supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) was investigated via the analysis of 40 commercial and 100 proprietary compounds using a 12-min gradient with methanol as a modifier. Results were then compared against those obtained from the popular derivatized polysaccharide-based chiral stationary phases (CSPs) such as Chiralpak AD-H and Chiralpak AS-H as well as Chiralcel OD-H and Chiralcel OJ-H columns. P-CAP demonstrated separation of 25% of the 140 total compounds, while each of the derivatized polysaccharide-based CSPs separated at least 46%. A study that compared the loading of 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol with P-CAP and Chiralpak AS columns indicated a similar trend in resolution vs. amount injected, though AS appeared capable of allowing a greater loading of material. The P-CAP column was found to be beneficial in the separation of a complex mixture of enantiomers and achiral impurities, where the derivatized polysaccharide-based columns did not show as desirable of a separation. A key advantage of this type of chiral stationary phase is the fact that it is available in both enantiomeric forms, allowing manipulation of elution order of enantiomers, which is especially helpful for preparative applications. P-CAP also demonstrated that it could resolve an achiral impurity from the desired compound in a different mixture, while the same impurity co-eluted on the Chiralpak AD-H column. Overall, the synthetic polymer-based P-CAP showed less chiral discrimination power compared to the derivatized polysaccharide-based CSPs under the conditions explored in this study.     

Enantiomeric separation of prothioconazole and prothioconazole‐desthio on chiral stationary phases

Prothioconazole is a type of broad‐spectrum triazole thione fungicide developed by the Bayer Company. Prothioconazole‐desthio is the main metabolite of prothioconazole in the environment. In our study, enantiomeric separation of prothioconazole and prothioconazole‐desthio was performed on various chiral stationary phases (CSPs) by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). It was found that polysaccharide CSPs showed better ability than brushing CSPs in enantiomeric separation. The successful chiral separation of prothioconazole could be achieved on self‐made Chiralcel OD, commercialized Chiralcel OJ‐H and Lux Cellulose‐1. Chiralpak IA, Chiralpak IB, Chiralpak IC, Chiralcel OD, Chiralpak AY‐H, Chiralpak AZ‐H, and Lux Cellulose‐1 realized the baseline separation of prothioconazole‐desthio enantiomers. Simultaneous enantiomeric separation of prothioconazole and prothioconazole‐desthio was performed on Lux Cellulose‐1 using acetonitrile (ACN) and water as mobile phase. In most cases, low temperature favored the separation of two compounds. The influence of the mobile phase ratio or type was deeply discussed. We obtained larger Rs and longer analysis time with a smaller proportion of isopropanol (IPA) or ethanol and more water content at the same temperature. The ratio of ACN and water had influences on the outflow orders of prothioconazole‐desthio enantiomers. This work provides a new approach for chiral separation of prothioconazole and prothioconazole‐desthio with a discussion of chiral separation mechanism on different CSPs.     

Enantioselective chromatography and molecular modeling of novel aryloxyaminopropan-2-ols with the alkyl carbamate function

A series of different racemic aryloxyaminopropan-2-ol derivatives 1a-d-3a-d with potential beta-adrenergic blocking effects related to propanolol 4 and atenolol 5 was resolved by HPLC using Chiralcel OD-H and Chiralpak AD as chiral stationary phases. Mobile phases consisted of a hexane/alcohol (propan-2-ol or ethanol) mixture doped with a modifier (DEA or TFA). The retention behavior of the compounds depended on the position of the carbamate attached to the aryloxy moiety and on the length of the alkyl residue in the carbamate. Enantiomers of the title compounds were baseline separated with the separation factors alpha and resolutions R(s) varying in the range of 1.34-4.55 and 1.50-10.65, respectively. The chromatographic systems developed can be used for the determination of the enantiomeric purity of the title compounds. Molecular modelling using empirical molecular mechanics and ab initio quantum chemistry methods provided low-energy structures in which sites of potential interactions responsible for retention behavior and chiral recognition could be identified.     

Enantiomeric discrimination of pyrethroic acid esters on polysaccharide derived chiral stationary phases

Enantiomeric separation of pyrethroic acid methyl and ethyl esters was examined on cellulose-based chiral stationary phases (CSPs): chiralcel OD (cellulose tris(3,5-dimethylphenyl carbamate)) and chiralcel OF (cellulose tris(4-chlorophenyl carbamate)). The good resolution of pyrethroic acid esters was achieved on chiralcel OD and OF. Separation factors ranged from 1.19-5.12 for Chiralcel OD and 1.00-1.59 for chiralcel OF. Hexane/2-propanol (100:0.15, v/v %) was used as the eluent. The resolution capability of CSPs was greater chiralcel OD than chiralcel OF in the case of the pyrethroic acid esters. The flow rate was 0.8 ml/min and detection was set at 230 nm. The results of the chromatographic data and molecular mechanics suggest that steric effect was a major factor in the enantioseparation. Furthermore, the hydrogen bond between analytes and CSP played an important role in the chiral recognition.     

Direct HPLC enantioseparation of chiral aptazepine derivatives on coated and immobilized polysaccharide-based chiral stationary phases

The direct HPLC enantioseparation of Mianserin and a series of aptazepine derivatives is accomplished on polysaccharide-based chiral stationary phases (CSPs). The resolutions are performed on the coated-type Chiralcel OD and Chiralpak AD CSPs and on the first commercially available immobilized-type Chiralpak IA CSP, in normal-phase and polar-organic modes. The complete separation of enantiomers of all racemates investigated was successfully achieved under at least one of CSP/eluent combinations employed. Pure alcohols such ethanol or 2-propanol, with a fixed percentage of DEA added, serve as valuable alternatives to the more common n-hexane-based normal-phase eluents in resolution of Mianserin on the AD CSP. In order to study the chiroptical properties of aptazepine derivatives, chromatographic resolutions are carried out at semipreparative scale using Chiralpak AD and Chiralpak IA as CSPs. Nonconventional dichloromethane-based eluents have permitted to expand the chiral resolving ability of the immobilized Chiralpak IA CSP and to perform mg-scale enantioseparations with an analytical-size column. Assignment of the absolute configuration of the separated enantiomers is empirically established by comparing their chiroptical data with those of structurally related Mianserin.     

Normal phase chiral HPLC of methylphenidate: comparison of different polysaccharide-based chiral stationary phases.

A comparison of the enantiomeric resolution of (+/-)-threo-methylphenidate (MPH) (Ritalin) was achieved on different polysaccharide based chiral stationary phases. The mobile phase used was hexane-ethanol-methanol-trifluoroacetic acid (480:9.75:9.75:0.5, v/v/v/v). Benzoic acid and phenol were used as the mobile phase additives for the enantiomeric resolution of MPH on Chiralcel OB column only. The alpha values for the resolved enantiomers were 1.34, 1.29, 1.30, and 1.24 on Chiralpak AD, Chiralcel OD, Chiralcel OB (containing 0.2 mM benzoic acid in mobile phase), and Chiralcel OB (containing 0.2 mM phenol in mobile phase) columns, respectively. The R(s) values were 1.82, 1.53, 1.19, and 1.10 on Chiralpak AD, Chiralcel OD, Chiralcel OB (containing 0.2 mM benzoic acid in mobile phase), and Chiralcel OB (containing 0.2 mM phenol in mobile phase), respectively. The role of benzoic acid and phenol as mobile phase additives is discussed.     

Enantiomers of C(5)-chiral 1-acetyl-3,5-diphenyl-4,5-dihydro-(1H)-pyrazole derivatives: Analytical and semipreparative HPLC separation, chiroptical properties, absolute configuration, and inhibitory activity against monoamine oxidase

The HPLC enantiomer separation of a novel series of C(5)-chiral 1-acetyl-3-(4-hydroxy- and 2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5-phenyl-4,5-dihydro-(1H)-pyrazole derivatives, with inhibitory activity against monoamine oxidases (MAO) type A and B, was accomplished using polysaccharide-based chiral stationary phases (CSPs: Chiralpak AD, Chiralcel OD, and Chiralcel OJ). Pure alcohols, such as ethanol and 2-propanol, and typical normal-phase binary mixtures, such as n-hexane and alcohol modifier, were used as mobile phases. Single enantiomers of several analytes examined were isolated on a semipreparative scale, and their chiroptical properties were measured. The assignment of the absolute configuration was established for one compound by single-crystal X-ray diffraction method and for the other three by CD spectroscopy. The inhibitory activity against MAO of racemic samples and single enantiomers were evaluated in vitro.     

Resolution of some 4‐benzofurazanyl and 4‐benzofuroxanyl 1,4‐dihydropyridine derivatives by chiral HPLC on Whelk‐o1 and some polysaccharide chiral stationary phases

The chromatographic chiral resolution of racemic methyl 1,4‐dihydro‐2,6‐dimethyl‐5‐nitro‐4‐benzofurazanyl‐3‐carboxylates 1 and 2 and their benzofuroxanyl analogues 3 and 4 were studied on Whelk‐O1, Chiralcel OD‐H, Chiralcel OJ, and Chiralpak AD and AS. These CSPs were selected on the basis of the results of structural searches in Chirbase. Examination of the data and cluster analysis pointed out the influence of benzofurazane–benzofuroxane change versus α–β connection change on retention and enantioselectivity, respectively. The major contribution to the retention change arose from the type of heterocycle, whereas the major contribution to the enantioselectivity change came from the mode of connection (α or β) almost irrespective of the nature of the heterocycle. It resulted in a similarity of behaviour between 1 and 2 on one hand and 3 and 4 on the other as far as capacity factors were concerned, and in a similarity of behaviour between 1 and 3 on the one hand and 2 and 4 on the other as far as enantioselectivities were concerned. Chiralpak AS was selected for semipreparative resolution of the enantiomers. The study of several CSPs allowed us to obtain correlations of structure with retention and enantioselectivity as well as the choice of a semipreparative support to provide the quantities for biological tests. Chirality 11:602–608, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Comparative studies between covalently immobilized and coated chiral stationary phases based on polysaccharide derivatives for enantiomer separation of N‐protected α‐amino acids and their ester derivatives

Liquid chromatographic enantiomer separation of several N‐benzyloxycarbonyl (CBZ) and N‐tert‐butoxycarbonyl (BOC) α‐amino acids and their corresponding ethyl esters was performed on covalently immobilized chiral stationary phases (CSPs) (Chiralpak IA and Chiralpak IB) and coated‐type CSPs (Chiralpak AD and Chiralcel OD) based on polysaccharide derivatives. The solvent versatility of the covalently immobilized CSPs in enantiomer separation of N‐CBZ and BOC‐α‐amino acids and their ester derivatives was shown and the chromatographic parameters of their enantioselectivities and resolution factors were greatly influenced by the nature of the mobile phase. In general, standard mobile phases using 2‐propanol and hexane on Chiralpak IA showed fairly good enantioselectivities for resolution of N‐CBZ and BOC‐α‐amino acids and their esters. However, 50% MTBE/hexane (v/v) for resolution of N‐CBZ‐α‐amino acids ethyl esters and 20% THF/hexane (v/v) for resolution of N‐BOC‐α‐amino acids ethyl esters afforded the greatest enantioselectivities on Chiralpak IA. Also, liquid chromatographic comparisons of the enantiomer resolution of these analytes were made on amylose tris(3,5‐dimethylphenylcarbamate)‐derived CSPs (Chiralpak IA and Chiralpak AD) and cellulose tris(3,5‐dimethylphenylcarbamate)‐derived CSPs (Chiralpak IB and Chiralcel OD). Chiralpak AD and/or Chiralcel OD showed the highest enantioselectivities for resolution of N‐CBZ‐α‐amino acids and esters, while Chiralpak AD or Chiralpak IA showed the highest resolution of N‐BOC‐α‐amino acids and esters. Chirality 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Stereospecific effects of benzo[d]isothiazolyloxypropanolamine derivatives at beta-adrenoceptors: synthesis, chiral resolution, and biological activity in vitro

We performed the asymmetric synthesis of four enantiopure benzo[d] isothiazo-3-or 5-yloxypropanolamine derivatives, previously described as competitive antagonists at beta-adrenoceptors. The chemical characterization of each enantiomer was accomplished by (1)H NMR and HPLC/DAD/CD. The direct chromatographic separation of the enantiomers via chiral HPLC was investigated. The best resolutions were achieved using cellulose tris (3,5-dimethylphenyl carbamate) (Chiralcel OD-H) and amylose tris (3,5-dimethylphenyl carbamate) (Chiralpak AD). The enantiomers obtained had enantiomeric purities suitable for biological assays. Tested in isolated rat cardiac and intestinal tissues to evaluate their effects at beta(1)- and beta(3)-adrenoceptors, the (S)-enantiomers revealed a higher degree of antagonism than (R)-enantiomers at both subtypes, even though their activity was greater at the cardiac beta(1)-subtype. The potent and cardiospecific antagonistic effect exerted by the compounds tested suggests that the benzisothiazole moiety could be an interesting scaffold for discovering new chiral beta-blocking drugs.     

Evaluation of π-acid chiral stationary phases deriving from tyrosine and related amino acids for the chromatographic resolution of racemates: Specific requirements for enantiorecognition ability

Chromatographic applications of three novel chiral stationary phases (CSPs) deriving from (S)-(N)-(3,5-dinitrobenzoyl)tyrosine are reported, under liquid chromatographic (LC) and subscritical fluid chromatographic (SubFC) conditions. Two grafting modes of the chiral moiety have been experimented starting either from γ-mercaptopropyl-silanized (type 1) or γ-aminopropyl-silanized (type 2) silica gels. For type 2 CSPs an evaluation of the stability of the amide linkage was achieved by means of SubFC; the relative contriution of ionic and covalent bindings to the ciral recognitio aility was then outlined. The chromatographic properties of these CSPs were compared with those of the corresponding CSPs deriving from phenylglycine, p-hydroxyphenylglycine, and phenylalanine for the resolution of some tertiary phosphine oxide, naphthoyl amide, and α-methylene γ-lactam enantiomers. Some simple requirements regarding the solute and CSP structures for chiral recognition ability can be inferred from these results. In addition, the resolutio of π-acid α-N-(3,5-dinitrobenzoyl)amino esters was investigated on these π-acid CSPs. An example of preparative scale chromatography is also presented.     

Liquid chromatographic resolution of 3-amino-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-ones on crown ether-based chiral stationary phases

3-Amino-5-phenyl (or 5-methyl)-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-ones, which are chiral precursors of anti-respiratory syncytial virus active agents, were resolved on three different chiral stationary phases (CSPs) based on (+)-(18-crown-6)-2,3,11,12-tetracarboxylic acid or (3,3'-diphenyl-1,1'-binaphthyl)-20-crown-6. Among the three CSPs, the CSP that is based on (3,3'-diphenyl-1,1'-binaphthyl)-20-crown-6 and containing residual silanol group-protecting n-octyl groups on the silica surface was found to be most effective with the use of 80% ethanol in water containing perchloric acid (10 mM) and ammonium acetate (1.0 mM) as a mobile phase. The separation factors (α) and resolutions (R(S) ) were in the range of 1.90-3.21 and 2.79-5.96, respectively. From the relationship between the analyte structure and the chromatographic resolution behavior, the chiral recognition mechanism on the CSP based on (+)-(18-crown-6)-2,3,11,12-tetracarboxylic acid was proposed to be different from that on the CSP based on (3,3'-diphenyl-1,1'-binaphthyl)-20-crown-6. In addition, the chromatographic resolution behavior of the most effective CSP was investigated as a function of the composition of aqueous mobile phase containing organic and acidic modifier and ammonium acetate.     

High performance liquid chromatographic enantioseparation of chiral bridged polycyclic compounds on chiralcel OD-H and chiralpak OT(+)

The HPLC enantiomeric separation of 29 racemic bridged polycyclic compounds was examined on commercially available Chiralcel OD-H and Chiralpak OT(+) columns. The separations were evaluated under normal-phase mode (hexane containing mobile phase) for Chiralcel OD-H and under normal-phase as well as under reversed-phase mode (pure MeOH, temperature 5 degrees C) for Chiralpak OT(+). Almost all compounds were resolved either on Chiralcel OD-H or on Chiralpak OT(+), in some cases on both. The use of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), as modifier of the hexanic mobile phase, had a beneficial effect on the enantioseparation of some polar and acidic compounds on Chiralcel OD-H. The influence of small chemical structural modifications of the analytes on the enantioseparation behavior is discussed. A structure-retention relationship has been observed on both stationary phases. This chromatographic evaluation may provide some information about the chiral recognition mechanism: in the case of Chiralcel OD-H, hydrogen bonding, pi-pi and distereoselective repulsive are supposed to be the major analyte-CSP interactions. In the case of Chiralpak OT(+), a reversed-phase enantioseparation could take place through hydrophobic interactions between the aromatic moiety of the analytes and the chiral propeller structure of the CSP. The synthesis of some unknown racemic bromobenzobicyclo[2.2.1] analytes is also described.     

Melatonin receptor agents: synthesis, resolution by HPLC on polysaccharides chiral stationary phases, absolute configuration, and pharmacology of the enantiomers of (+/-)-N-[[2[(7-fluoro-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalen-1-yl)ethyl]acetamide

In order to obtain milligram amounts of the enantiomers of tetrahydronaphthalenic derivative 5 to be tested for binding to the melatonin sites, preparative HPLC employed a mobile phase consisting of n-hexane-alcohol and a silica-based cellulose tris-methylbenzoate (Chiralcel OJ) using isocratic conditions and multiple repetitive injections. The preparative separation was optimized by adjusting the sample size from a scale-up of the analytical method. The enantiomeric elution order was reversed by the change from the carbamate type phase (Chiralcel OD-H) to the benzoate type phase (Chiralcel OJ) in analytical mode. The optical rotation and the circular dichroism spectra of the single enantiomers were determined after separation. The absolute stereochemistry of the two enantiomers of (+/-)-N-[2-(7-fluoro-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalen-1-yl)ethyl]acetamide 5 was established by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The purity obtained was sufficient for a first screen of their biochemical properties: the (-)-(S) enantiomer shows more affinity for melatonin receptors MT1, MT2 and is responsible of the selectivity towards MT2.