Direct resolution of enantiomers of basic imidazol-2-yl-substituted alcohols by gas chromatography on chirasil-val

The direct resolution of enantiomers of a series of imidazol-2-yl-substituted alcohols has been achieved by gas chromatography on a well-deactivated fused-silica capillary column, coated with L -Chirasil-Val as the chiral stationary phase. The separation of these basic compounds is accomplished without exaggerated peak tailing. Compared to simpler alcohols the resolution factors (α) observed are extraordinarily large. While the imidazolyl substituent may contribute to the mechanism of the chiral discrimination, the crucial interaction is assumed to be through the hydroxy group, based on the observation that the resolution factors for the corresponding O-acetyl derivatives are markedly reduced. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Chirality of amino acids of microorganisms used in food biotechnology

Bacteria of the genera Acetobacter, Bifidobacterium, Brevibacterium, Lactobacillus, Micrococcus, Propionibacterium, and Streptococcus, which are used as so-called starter cultures for the large-scale production of fermented foods and beverages in food biotechnology, have been investigated for the chirality of their amino acids (AA) by gas chromatography (GC). Bacteria were grown in complex media, centrifuged, and washed with 0.85% aqueous NaCl. Aliquots were totally hydrolyzed (6 M HCl, 110°C, 18 h), or extracted with 70% aqueous ethanol in order to isolated free AA. The AA were adsorbed on Dowex WX 8 cation-exchanger, eluted with 4 M ammonia and converted into their N(O)-trifluoroacetyl(TFA) 2-propyl esters or TFA methyl esters. The AA derivatives were investigated by capillary GC using the chiral stationary phases Chirasil-L -Val, Chirasil-D -Val, and Lipodex E. Besides L -AA, in all bacteria D -amino acids (D -AA) were detected; those in the highest relative amounts were D -Ala and D -Asp (occurring in all bacteria) and, in several cases, D -Glu. Lower, but significant amounts of other D -AA such as D -Ser, D -Pro, D -Val, D -Thr, D -Ile, D -Leu, D -Met, D -Phe, D -Tyr, D -Orn, and D -Lys were also detected in certain bacteria. These findings explain the origin of D -AA found in all fermented foods and drinks produced with the aid of bacterial starter cultures. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Determination of the optical purity of threonine and hydroxyproline by capillary gas chromatography on a chiral stationary phase

Summary Experimental conditions for the derivatization and resolution by GLC of all stereoisomers of threonine and 4-hydroxyproline are reported. Threonine was in two steps converted toN,O-bisisobutoxycarbonyl 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl ester derivatives, the second of which was performed under anhydrous conditions. As such the enantiomers could pairwise be separated by capillary gas chromatography on a Chirasil-Val column. SinceL- andD-threonine eluted much earlier than the corresponding allo forms, quantitative determination of the allothreonine content inD- orL-threonine down to the one percent level could be simply accomplished but also enantiomeric impurities could be determined. Unlike for threonine, the corresponding 4-hydroxyproline isomers could not all be resolved asN,O-bisisobutoxycarbonyl 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl esters on this column. Although diastereomers could still be separated, the allo pair cochromatographed and the resolution for theL- andD-isomers was low. Complete separation of the 4-hydroxyproline isomers could be accomplished asN,O-bisprotected isobutyl amides, the formation of which required three derivatization steps. These were used for the determination of allohydroxyproline.