Enantiomeric derivatization for biomedical chromatography

Derivatization reactions aimed at creating the basis for the chromatographic resolution of biologically and pharmaceutically important enantiomers are reviewed, with emphasis on the literature published in the last 10 years. Three main aspects of chiral derivatization are discussed. (a) Enantiomers containing suitable functional groups (amino, carboxyl, hydroxyl, epoxy, etc.) are transformed into covalently bonded diastereomeric derivatives using homochiral derivatizing agents. The diastereomers formed (esters, amides, urethanes, urea and thiourea, etc., derivatives) can be separated on achiral stationary phases. The derivatization reactions often afford further advantages, such as the improvement of chromatographic properties and the detectability of the solutes using UV and fluorimetric detectors. (b) Covalent but achiral derivatization is often necessary even with the use of chiral stationary phases enabling in principle direct enantioseparations (Pirkle-type columns, cyclodextrin-bonded phases, glycoprotein column and functionalized cellulose columns). The main goals of these derivatization reactions (which are analogous to those discussed above), are to introduce functional groups into the molecule of the enantiomers that improve the possibilities for chiral interactions or block functional groups to avoid non-specific interactions. (c) In the broader sense, the dynamic formation of diastereomers using chiral mobile phase additives (cyclodextrins, various reagents to form diastereomeric ion pairs, adducts, mixed metal complexes) can also be considered to be chiral derivatization reactions and is therefore briefly discussed also.     

Chiral gas chromatography as a tool for investigations into illicitly manufactured methylamphetamine

The aim of this study was to develop a chiral gas chromatographic method for the separation of compounds likely to be found in the EMDE synthesis of methylamphetamine, a heavily abused stimulant drug. Here we describe the separation of the enantiomers of ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, chlorinated intermediates and methylamphetamine using fluorinated acid anhydrides as chemical derivatization reagents prior to gas chromatographic analysis on a 2,3‐di‐O‐methyl‐6‐t‐butyl silyl‐β‐cyclodextrin stationary phase (CHIRALDEX™ B‐DM). Separation of the enantiomers of pseudoephedrine, methylamphetamine and chloro‐intermediates was achieved using PFPA derivatization, and enantiomers of ephedrine using TFAA derivatization, in run times of less than 40 minutes. The use of HFBA as a derivatization reagent for this set of analytes is also discussed. Chirality, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Enantiomeric impurities in chiral catalysts,auxiliaries, and synthons used in enantioselective syntheses. Part 5

The enantiomeric excess of chiral starting materials is one of the important factors determining the enantiopurity of products in asymmetric synthesis. Fifty‐one commercially available chiral reagents used as building blocks, catalysts, and auxiliaries in various enantioselective syntheses were assayed for their enantiomeric purity. The test results were classified within five impurities level (ie, <0.01%, 0.01%‐0.1%, 0.1%‐1%, 1%‐10%, >10%). Previously from 1998 to 2013, several reports have been published on the enantiomeric composition of more than 300 chiral reagents. This series of papers is necessitated by the fact that new reagents are forthcoming and that the enantiomeric purity of the same reagent can vary from batch to batch and/or from supplier to supplier. This report presents chiral liquid chromatography (LC) and gas chromatography (GC) methods to separate enantiomers of chiral compounds and evaluate their enantiomeric purities. The accurate and efficient LC analysis was done using newly introduced superficially porous particle (SPP 2.7 μm) based chiral stationary phases (TeicoShell, VancoShell, LarihcShell‐P, and NicoShell).     

Fast chiral separation of drugs using columns packed with sub‐2 μm particles and ultra‐high pressure

The use of columns packed with sub‐2 μm particles in liquid chromatography with very high pressure conditions (known as UHPLC) was investigated for the fast enantioseparation of drugs. Two different procedures were evaluated and compared using amphetamine derivatives and β‐blockers as model compounds. In one case, cyclodextrins (CD) were directly added to the mobile phase and chiral separations were carried out in less than 5 min. However, this strategy suffered from several drawbacks linked to column lifetime and low chromatographic efficiencies. In the other case, the analysis of enantiomers was carried out after a derivatization procedure using two different reagents, 2,3,4‐tri‐O‐acetyl‐α‐D ‐arabinopyranosyl isothiocyanate (AITC) and N‐α‐(2,4‐dinitro‐5‐fluorophenyl)‐L ‐alaninamide (Marfey's reagent). Separation of several amphetamine derivatives contained within the same sample was achieved in 2–5 min with high efficiency and selectivity. The proposed approach was also successfully applied to the enantiomeric purity determination of (+)‐(S)‐amphetamine and (+)‐(S)‐methamphetamine. Similar results were obtained with β‐blockers, and the separation of 10 enantiomers was carried out in less than 3 min, whereas the individual separation of several β‐blocker enantiomers was performed in 1 min or less. Chirality, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Chromatographic separation of marine organic pollutants

A review and discussion of the chromatographic separation of marine organic pollutants is given, including sampling and clean-up procedures, fractionation and enrichment of marine pollutants, capillary gas chromatography (cGC) and high-performance liquid chromatography applying both classical and chiral stationary phases. The potential of multi-dimensional cGC for the analysis of marine organic trace pollutants is discussed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The chromatographic separation of coplanar PCBs and of the enantiomers of chiral pollutants provides a further insight into the toxic potential of these marine organic pollutants.     

Effective resolution of racemic pirlindole at the preparative scale

Pirlindole, a racemic antidepressant drug, was recently resolved using the derivatization method coupled with preparative HPLC. In order to improve this technique, the use of amino acid derivatives as chiral derivatizing agents (CDA) was investigated. Among different residues, the (L)-phenylalanine methyl ester was found to be very effective to separate pirlindole enantiomers using a medium pressure liquid chromatographic (MPLC) method. This procedure is better adapted to preparative application than HPLC. Thus, several grams of the pirlindole antipodes were isolated and characterized. These two enantiomers permitted the study of the stereochemical influence at the pharmacological level. Chirality 11:261–266, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

N-succinimidyl methoxyphenylacetic acid ester, an amine-directed chiral derivatizing reagent suitable for enzymatic scale resolutions

A chiral derivatizing reagent, N-succinimidyl-2-(S)-methoxy-2-phenylacetic acid ester (SMPA), directed toward reaction with primary amine-containing compounds has been synthesized and characterized. This reagent is suitable for HPLC resolution from enzymatic-scale reactions where only microgram quantities of chiral products may be obtainable. SMPA derivatization was shown to be effective in the resolution of the enantiomers of a number of different racemic compounds. SMPA was used to resolve the diastereoisomeric derivatives of a previously unknown enzymatically oxygenated product, allowing determination of the stereochemical course of the enzymatic reaction. SMPA is easily prepared from an inexpensive, commercially available, and enantiomerically pure precursor with the formation of a shelf-stable crystalline product which is utilizable in water-containing solutions. In addition to its usefulness for micro-determinations, SMPA is useful for preparative-scale resolutions of enantiomers since the reagent is cleaved from the diastereoisomeric derivative by acid hydrolysis.     

Analysis of problems encountered in the determination of amino acid enantiomeric ratios by gas chromatography

A previously described procedure for determining the enantiomeric ratios of amino acids has produced inconsistent results when determining relatively low (≤0.110) d/l ratios. The method involves synthesis of diastereomeric N-trifluoroacetyl-l-prolyl-d/l-amino acid ester dipeptides which are resolved by gas chromatography (GC). We have found that triethylamine, which is added to maintain a basic pH during the coupling reaction, racemizes the chiral reagent N-trifluoroacetyl-l-prolyl chloride (TPC). Coupling of partially racemized TPC to d/l-amino acid esters results in the formation of four dipeptides (two pairs of enantiomers) instead of the expected two diastereomeric dipeptides. The enantiomeric dipeptides coelute on an achiral GC column, resulting in erroneous d/l ratios. More accurate d/l ratios are obtained by preparing the volatile N-trifluoroacetyl-d/l-amino acid isopropyl ester derivative which can be separated into its enantiomers on a chiral GC column such as the Chirasil-Val III (registered trademark of Applied Science Laboratories).     

Rapid and sensitive procedure for the separation and quantitation of - and -serine in rat brain using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A very simple and rapid GC-MS procedure for the separation and quantitation of - and -serine has been developed utilizing a conventional bonded-phase capillary column. The procedure involves initial esterification with isobutanol followed by acylation with the chiral derivatizing reagent S-(−)-N-(heptafluorobutyryl)prolyl chloride (HPC). This procedure requires neither extraction nor clean-up steps and is sensitive to 50 pg on-column. Total time of the procedure is under 3 h and derivatives are stable at room temperature for at least 5 days, making this procedure ideal for automated injections. A simple, one-day synthesis of HPC is described which yields >99.9% optical purity.     

Resolution of the enantiomers of ibuprofen; comparison study of diastereomeric method and chiral stationary phase method

In this study, an indirect diastereomeric method and a direct method utilizing a chiral stationary phase (CSP) were investigated for the resolution of ibuprofen enantiomers. In the indirect method, ethylchloroformate (ECF) and 2-ethoxy-1-1-ethoxycarbonyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline (EEDQ) were utilized as first-step derivatizing reagents in acetonitrile or toluene. In the direct CSP method, ibuprofen enantiomers were derivatized to p-nitrobenzyl ureides and then resolved on an (R)-(−)-(1-naphthyl)ethylurea CSP column. The derivatization procedure took place in 10 min with an overall inversion efficiency of 90.3%. Racemization was not observed under the derivatization conditions used. The HPLC-CSP method was utilized to study the pharmacokinetics of ibuprofen enantiomers in dog plasma after a single oral administration of 200 mg of ibuprofen racemate.     

Liquid chromatographic enantiomer resolution of N-hydrazide derivatives of 2-aryloxypropionic acids on a crown ether derived chiral stationary phase

The liquid chromatographic separation of the enantiomers of several N-hydrazide derivatives of 2-aryloxypropionic acids was performed on a crown ether type chiral stationary phase derived from (18-crown-6)-2,3,11,12-tetracarboxylic acid. The behavior of chromatographic parameters by the change of mobile phases and additives for the resolution of these analytes was investigated. The enantiomers of all analytes were base-line resolved with a mobile phase of 100% methanol containing 20 mM H2SO4. These results are the first reported for enantiomer resolution of chiral acids of 2-aryloxypropionic acids as their N-hydrazide derivatives.     

Comparison of the chiral separation of amino-acid derivatives by a teicoplanin and RN-beta-CD CSPs using waterless mobile phases: Factors that enhance resolution

A variety of compounds containing amines (i.e., amino acids, amino alcohols, etc.) were chemically derivatized with a variety of electrophilic tagging reagents to elucidate the chiral recognition sites on a teicoplanin-bonded chiral stationary phase (CSP) and on R-naphthylethylcarbamate-beta-cyclodextrin (RN-beta-CD)-bonded CSP. Solutes were separated under optimum chromatographic conditions on teicoplanin and RN-beta-CD CSPs for comparison using an acetonitrile-based mobile phase. It was noted that the size of the analyte or tagging reagent exerted a greater influence on compounds separated on teicoplanin than on RN-beta-CD when using the polar organic mode. This suggests that chiral recognition on teicoplanin CSP is more sensitive to size and indicates that the hydrophobic pocket of teicoplanin plays a significant role in chiral recognition in this mode. However, the type of functional groups had a greater impact than the size of analyte on separations obtained from RN-beta-CD phase in the polar-organic mode. Specifically, the pi-pi interaction was enhanced by derivatizing the aromatic ring of the tagging reagent with electron-withdrawing groups and thus altered the resolution substantially. For both phases, chiral recognition is most pronounced when the stereogenic center of the analyte is near the tagging moiety and surrounded by functional groups (e.g., carboxylic, etc.) which are favorable for hydrogen bonding.     

Chiral α-substituted α-aryloxy acetic acids: Synthesis,absolute configuration,chemical resolution,and direct separation by hplc

Several α-monoalkyl-α-aryloxyacetic acids have been synthesized and resolved into their optical antipodes; their absolute configuration was also established by chiroptical and chemical methods. The two enantiomers of a series of these compounds show opposite effects on skeletal muscle fibers chloride conductance. Therefore a HPLC procedure was developed for the direct determination of the optical purity of the antipodes before submitting them to biological tests. The chromatographic study was performed on DACH-DNB chiral stationary phase which shows a remarkable enantioselectivity for the considered compounds as free acids, esters and amides under different conditions with essentially the same chiral mechanism of separation. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Chiral derivatizing reagents for drug enantiomers bearing hydroxyl groups

This review extensively summarizes and critically evaluates the recent research on the indirect resolution technique for enantiomeric alcohols. Twenty-one chiral derivatizing reagents divided in seven types, including chiral acids, activated acids, chloroformates, isocyanates, carbonyl nitriles, oxazolidin-2-ones and lactones, are described. The derivatization methods of the various chiral reagents, the liquid chromatography separation systems, the detection systems used for the diastereomeric derivatives of alcohols as well as their limitations and the prospects of the indirect resolution technique for the future are thoroughly discussed. This paper aims to instruct the application of a particular chiral reagent and the technical approach to be used and should be beneficial to the development of an indirect resolution method for enantiomeric alcohols as well as to the biomedical investigation of the differences between the antipodes of chiral alcohols.     

Cyclodextrins and enantiomeric separations of drugs by liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis: basic principles and new developments

Investigation of individual drug enantiomers is required in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies of drugs with a chiral centre. Cyclodextrins (CDs) are extensively used in high-performance liquid chromatography as stationary phases bonded to a solid support or as mobile phase additives in HPLC and capillary electrophoresis (CE) for the separation of chiral compounds. We describe here the basis for the liquid chromatographic and capillary electrophoretic resolution of drug enantiomers and the factors affecting their enantiomeric separation. This review covers the use of CDs and some of their derivatives in studies of compounds of pharmacological interest.     

GC Separation of Enantiomers of Alkyl Esters of 2‐Bromo Substituted Carboxylic Acids Enantiomers on 6‐TBDMS‐2,3‐di‐alkyl‐ β‐ and γ‐Cyclodextrin Stationary Phases

The gas chromatographic separation of enantiomers of 2‐Br carboxylic acid derivatives was studied on four different 6‐TBDMS‐2,3‐di‐O‐alkyl‐ β‐ and ‐γ‐CD stationary phases. The differences in thermodynamic data {ΔH and –ΔS} for the 15 structurally related racemates were evaluated. The influence of structure differences in the alkyl substituents covalently attached to the stereogenic carbon atom, as well as in the ester group of the homologous analytes, and the selectivity of modified β‐ and γ‐ cyclodextrin derivatives was studied in detail. The cyclodextrin cavity size, as well as elongation of alkyl substituents in positions 2 and 3 of 6‐TBDMS‐β‐CD, also affected their selectivity. The quality of enantiomeric separations is influenced mainly by alkyl chains of the ester group of the molecule and this appears to be independent of the CD stationary phase used. In some cases the separations occur as the result of external adsorption rather than inclusion complexations with the chiral selector. It was found that the temperature dependencies of the selectivity factor were nonlinear. Chirality 26:279–285, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

(-)-(S)-flunoxaprofen and (-)-(S)-naproxen isocyanate: two new fluorescent chiral derivatizing agents for an enantiospecific determination of primary and secondary amines

The synthesis and analytical testing of two new fluorescent chiral derivatizing agents (-)-(S)-flunoxaprofen and (-)-(S)-naproxen isocyanate, is described. In a few simple steps the free carboxylic acids [(S)-flunoxaprofen and (S)-naproxen] are activated with ethyl chloroformate/sodium azide and transformed to the corresponding isocyanates. The crystalline reaction products display high enantiomeric and chemical purity and stability. The direction of the optical rotation of both substances is inverse to that of the corresponding carboxylic acids. At ambient temperature the reagents swiftly react with primary and secondary amines, yielding highly fluorescent ureas. The applicability of the two reagents for the resolution of racemic amines was tested with a number of pharmaceuticals (antiarrhythmics, beta-adrenergic antagonists, calcium channel blockers, centrally acting antidepressants). The diastereoisomeric derivatives were efficiently resolved and separated from side-products by means of normal and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The use and sufficient sensitivity of the two reagents for pharmacokinetic studies were demonstrated with a determination of plasma levels of propranolol enantiomers after oral administration of the racemic drug [80 mg (R,S)-propranolol-HCl] to two volunteers.     

Chiral recognition of binaphthyl derivatives: a chiral recognition model on the basis of chromatography, spectroscopy, and molecular mechanistic calculations for the enantioseparation of 1,1'-binaphthyl derivatives on cholic acid-bonded stationary phases.

In an effort to elucidate the mechanism of chiral discrimination of cholic acid-based stationary phases, the enantiomeric recognition ability of six chiral stationary phases (CSPs), prepared from differently substituted cholic acid derivatives, was evaluated in normal phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a series of 1,1'-binaphthyl compounds. The influence of structural variations of analytes on retention and enantioselectivity was investigated. Particularly high values of enantioselectivity were observed for the binaphthol enantiomers on a CSP prepared from the allyl 7 alpha,12 alpha-dihydroxy-3 alpha-phenylcarbamoyloxy-5 beta-cholan-24-oate. The complexes of this chiral selector with both enantiomers of binaphthol were studied as models for the interactions responsible for the enantioseparation with the cholic acid-based stationary phases. The 1:1 stoichiometry of the complex in solution was determined by UV titration. The chiral selector dissolved in chloroform exhibited a chiral discrimination for the binaphthol in (1)H and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies. Some aromatic proton and carbon resonances of binaphthol were clearly separated into a pair of peaks due to enantiomers in the presence of the chiral selector. Moreover, on the basis of molecular mechanics calculation, a chiral discrimination model was proposed which nicely explains the relevant chromatographic behavior of the 1,1'-binaphthyl derivatives.     

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.     

Comparison between cellulose and amylose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) chiral stationary phases for enantiomeric separation of 17 amidotetralins

Direct enantiomeric separations of 17 chiral amidotetralins by means of high performance liquid chromatography were performed on stationary phases composed of tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) derivatives of cellulose and amylose, coated on silica gel. The enantiomers of 15 out of 17 amidotetralins were resolved with a resolution of more than 1.5 by at least one of the chiral stationary phases. The stationary phases showed complementary results with regard to the separation of the amidotetralins, that is, pairs that did not separate on the cellulose-type column were well separated on the amylose-type column, and vice versa. There was no significant correlation between the chromatographic properties of the chiral stationary phases. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.