Chiral separations by packed-column super- and subcritical fluid chromatography

Comparison of dimethylated and methylchlorinated amylose stationary phases, coated and covalently immobilized on silica, for the separation of some chiral compounds in supercritical fluid chromatography

The chromatographic properties of a new coated amylose tris(3-chloro-5-methylphenylcarbamate) were evaluated in supercritical fluid chromatography for the separation of enantiomers of chiral 1-aryl-5-aryl-pyrrolidin-2-one derivatives, potential anticancer agents, and some commercial drugs. The mobile phase consisted of CO₂-modifier mixtures with 30% of either methanol or ethanol, the flow rate was 3 mL/min. The column oven temperature was 40 °C and the outlet pressure was 15 MPa, in order to limit the compressibility of the CO₂, thus limiting density variation along the column. The obtained results were then compared to those observed toward 3 other stationary phases: the coated amylose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate), the immobilized amylose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) and the coated amylose tris(5-chloro-2-methylphenylcarbamate). It was shown that the new coated amylose tris(3-chloro-5-methylphenylcarbamate) was the most retentive column whatever the studied compounds, particularly for thalidomide and omeprazole with retention factors up to 73.3 and 29.5for the second enantiomer, respectively. Concerning the enantioselectivity, even most of the compounds are separated on all the four columns, the coated amylose tris(3-chloro-5-methylphenylcarbamate) allows the best resolution for most of the ten studied analytes (except omeprazole for which the resolution values are equal to 7.8 and 9.7 on the coated amylose tris(3-chloro-5-methylphenylcarbamate) and amylose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate), respectively). Acting in complementary ways, the two chlorinated stationary phases permitted the complete separation of enantiomers of nine compounds out of the ten.

Density dependence of retention factors of trans-stilbene oxide for chiral separation by supercritical fluid chromatography

Retention factors for two enantiomers of trans-stilbene oxide, k₁ and k₂, were measured with a chiral AD-H column using two syringe pumps to feed CO₂ and methanol as a co-solvent at various temperatures, pressures and co-solvent mole fractions to determine the effects of these operating conditions on the retention factors. The retention factors k₁ and k₂ are for the (R,R)- and (S,S)-forms, respectively. When the isothermal compressibilities of a mixture of CO₂ and MeOH were lower than 0.01, far from the critical locus of the CO₂ and methanol mixture, both retention factors were well expressed with the solvent density and temperature with an average absolute relative deviation of 1-2%. In the vicinity of the critical locus, however, where the isothermal compressibilities were much larger than 0.01, the relationship between retention factor and density was complicated. Both retention factors were proportional to the isothermal compressibility, irrespective of methanol mole fraction at each temperature.

Screening approach for chiral separation of pharmaceuticals

The aim of this work is to determine generic screening conditions and an initial simple separation strategy allowing the rapid separation of drug enantiomers in polar organic solvent chromatography (POSC). Four cellulose/amylose-based stationary phases were investigated in detail using two mobile phase basis solvents commonly applied in this mode, i.e. acetonitrile and methanol. Polar mode is interesting for use in purification of enantiomers. In a first step, the parameters potentially influencing the separation, such as addition of an alcohol to the polar organic solvent or the type of mobile phase additive(s), were examined by means of experimental designs. Afterwards, the factors found most important are investigated in more detail. Results showed that the cellulose- and amylose-based stationary phases have very broad and complementary enantiorecognition abilities in the POSC mode. The type of organic solvent for the mobile phase appeared to have a dramatic influence on the quality of the separation. Based on the results, a screening strategy was proposed. Enantioseparation was observed in more than 85% of the tested compounds and analysis times of last eluted peak were usually below 10 min.

Enhanced chromatographic resolution of amine enantiomers as carbobenzyloxy derivatives in high-performance liquid chromatography and supercritical fluid chromatography

The carbobenzyloxy (cbz) protecting group is evaluated for it's potential to enhance the resolution of chiral amine enantiomers using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC). A series of cbz derivatives of commercially available racemates was prepared and analyzed by enantioselective chromatography using a variety of mobile phases and polysaccharide and Pirkle-type chiral stationary phases (CSPs). The cbz-derivatized product consistently demonstrated enhanced chiral resolution under HPLC and SFC conditions. Improved selectivity and resolution combined with an automated preparative HPLC or SFC system can lead to the rapid generation of highly purified enantiomers of desirable starting materials, intermediates or final products.

Screening approach for chiral separation of pharmaceuticals

High-throughput and performance analysis and purification of enantiomers are important parts of drug discovery and provide high-quality compounds for pharmacological testing. We have previously reported two parts describing chiral chromatographic screens using normal-phase (NPLC) and reversed-phase (RPLC) liquid chromatography, in order to cope with increasing numbers of new compounds generated by chemistry programs. We present in this part the development and implementation of a third faster screen using supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) to maximize chance in achieving rapid enantiomer resolution of large numbers of compounds in a minimum of time. The SFC screen utilizes a narrow combination of only four columns (Chirlapak AD and AS, and Chiralcel OD and OJ) and two solvent modifiers (methanol and isopropanol). A modifier and column-switching setup was employed to allow the entire screening process to be serially run in the order AD> OD > OJ > AS and methanol > isopropanol, so that the screening for a given molecule can be stopped when separation is achieved. The switching system was fully automated for unattended operation of multiple compounds. An optimization procedure was also defined, which can be performed if needed for unsuccessful separations in the screening step. The chiral SFC strategy proved its performance and robustness in resolution of hundreds proprietary chiral molecules generated by drug discovery programs, with a success rate exceeding 95%. In addition, the generic capability of the strategy was evaluated by applying the screen and optimization methodology to a test set comprising 40 marketed drugs differing from proprietary compounds in terms of chemical diversity, revealing a similar high success rate of 98%. Chiral separations developed at the analytical scale work easily and equally well at the semi-preparative level, as illustrated with an example. The SFC screen allows resolution of compounds that were partially separated by NPLC or not separated at all by RPLC, demonstrating the utility of implementing complementary chromatographic techniques. The SFC screen is currently an integral part of our analytical support to discovery chemical programs and is considered the first try for chiral separations of new compounds, because it offers a higher success rate, performance and throughput.

Chiral separation of amines in subcritical fluid chromatography using polysaccharide stationary phases and acidic additives

The chiral separation of basic compounds by subcritical fluid chromatography (SFC) is often unsuccessful, due possibly to multiple interactions of the analyte with the mobile and stationary phase. Incorporation of a strong acid, ethanesulfonic acid (ESA), into the sample diluent and mobile phase modifier gives a dramatic improvement in these separations. Screening with ethanol containing 0.1% ESA on CHIRALPAK AD-H gave separation of 36 of 45 basic compounds previously not separated in SFC. The mechanism appears to involve the separation of an intact salt pair formed between the basic compound and ESA. Other modifiers, other acids and one additional stationary phase were examined and found to yield additional separations.

Reversal of elution order for profen acid enantiomers in packed-column SFC on Chiralpak AD

Enantiomeric separations of four 2-substituted propionic acid drugs have been studied using packed-column supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) with amylose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) coated on silica as support (Chiralpak AD). Under standard conditions (i.e., flow rate, 1.5 ml/min; column temperature, 30 degrees C; back-pressure, 150 bar), the order of elution could be reversed when the polar alcohol modifier methanol in carbon dioxide was replaced by 2-propanol for ibuprofen, ketoprofen, and naproxen. For flurbiprofen, with the highest selectivity factor, no reversal was observed, although selectivity was reduced significantly with higher alcohols. Naproxen and flurbiprofen were also investigated with 2-butanol and 2-pentanol. The former showed reversal of elution order but not the latter. For higher alcohol modifiers, including 2-propanol, the peak symmetry was poor but could be improved by addition of citric acid in the alcohol modifier. These results stress the importance to investigate enantiomer elution order during the development of enantioselective methods and when chromatographic conditions are optimized. Preliminary experiments with column temperatures over the range of -15 to 45 degrees C revealed that, in a few cases, reversal took place with a change in temperature only.

Effect of amine mobile phase additives on chiral subcritical fluid chromatography using polysaccharide stationary phases

Increased retention and selectivity in the subcritical fluid chromatography (SFC) of various amine compounds on polysaccharide chiral stationary phases (CSP) was observed upon incorporation of cyclic amines into the modifier. The retention increases are most pronounced with 2-propanol and are almost absent when methanol is used as modifier. This suggests that the effect may arise from a restriction to the modifier access to the binding site required to effect elution. The effect of the amine additives in SFC does not remain after their removal from the mobile phase. Findings were applied to the development of a 5 min separation of amphetamine and methamphetamine enantiomers.

Enantiomeric separations of amino alcohols by packed-column SFC on Hypercarb with L-(+)-tartaric acid as chiral selector

The use of L-(+)-tartaric acid as a chiral mobile phase additive (CMPA) has been investigated in a packed-column SFC system. The CMPA, carbon dioxide, and methanol, containing a high concentration of aliphatic amine additive, were used as the mobile phase and Hypercarb as support [Gyllenhaal O., Karlsson A., SFC of metoprolol and other amino alcohols on Hypercarb (in preparation)]. Good enantioselectivities were obtained for tertiary amine homologues of 2-amino alcohols, used as beta-adrenoreceptor-blocking drugs. Moderate selectivities were observed for aromatic compounds having a second substituent in the ortho-position. The overall retention was influenced by the aromaticity of the analytes as well as the presence of free electron pairs in the molecule. Increased concentrations of CMPA gave higher retention and also increased the enantioselectivity. The practical utility of this present enantioselective system was demonstrated on one batch of (S)-metoprolol that was N-methylated with methyl iodide. The enantiomeric separation was accomplished within 10 min.

Enantiomeric separation of a thiazolbenzenesulfonamide compound using packed-column subcritical fluid chromatography

Separation of enantiomers of a thiazolbenzenesulfonamide compound was performed on a Chiralpak AD column using subcritical fluid chromatography. Effects of alcohol modifier and temperature on the separations were studied. The results revealed that while the main adsorbing interactions were between the hydroxyl group of the analyte and the carbamate group of the stationary phase, chiral discrimination was achieved through an inclusion mechanism within the chiral cavity created along the amylose chains. Analogs and synthetic precursors of the thiazolbenzenesulfonamide studied were also investigated so as to understand the effect of functional groups and configuration of the analyte molecule upon chiral recognition.

Enantioseparations in super- and subcritical fluid chromatography

The separation of chiral compounds by sub- and supercritical fluid chromatography has been a field of great progress since the first demonstration of a chiral separation by SFC in 1985. Almost all of the chiral selectors used in gas or liquid chromatography have been successfully applied to sub-/supercritical chromatography. Easier and faster method development, high efficiency, superior and rapid separations of a wide variety of analytes, extended-temperature capability, analytical and preparative-scale equipment improvements and a selection of detection options have been reported.

Application of molecularly imprinted polymers in supercritical fluid chromatography

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), for the templates free base racemic propranolol and the L-enantiomer of phenylalanine anilide (L-PA), were investigated as stationary phases in supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC). Large retention differences were observed on the propranolol MIP for both the template molecule and the structural analogue metoprolol compared to that observed on the corresponding blank polymer. Mobile phase composition and solute concentration were found to affect this retention behaviour. The phenylalanine anilide MIP (L-PA MIP) was found to be enantioselective in SFC with stronger retention observed for the template enantiomer. Throughout the study, characteristic imprinting peak shapes for the stronger retained template molecule were observed for both MIPs examined. After a number of days under supercritical fluid conditions, the performance of the photochemically initiated L-PA MIP was found to significantly deteriorate whereas the thermally initiated propranolol MIP revealed only small changes in its separation performance after a long term of operation. The separation behaviour of these two MIPs in SFC was compared with results obtained on the same columns in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) both before and after their application in SFC.

Simultaneous stereoselective analysis of venlafaxine and O-desmethylvenlafaxine enantiomers in clinical samples by capillary electrophoresis using charged cyclodextrins

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) was used for the simultaneous chiral determination of venlafaxine (Vx), a new antidepressant drug and its main active metabolite. O-desmethyl venlafaxine (ODV). Among the charged cyclodextrins (CD) tested, phosphated gamma-CD was the most appropriate. Resolution of Vx and ODV was obtained with 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 2.5) containing 20 mg/ml of phosphated gamma-CD. After optimisation of the method (including robustness), validation was carried out. Vx and ODV concentrations, as well as the enantiomeric ratio, were investigated in clinical samples. Chiral determination of Vx and ODV was performed after a simple liquid-liquid extraction (LLE). In the tested concentration range (25-500 ng/ml), coefficients of correlation were superior to 0.996. Within-day and between-day accuracy and precision were determined at three different concentrations for each enantiomer. Analyses of clinical samples (n = 16) exhibited non-racemic ratios for Vx and ODV, which suggests a stereoselective metabolism in humans.

Separation of drugs by packed-column supercritical fluid chromatography

Packed-column supercritical fluid chromatography (pSFC) has been expected to analyze various kinds of compounds. Many researchers have expected a new chromatographic technique that overcomes the limitations of other techniques, HPLC and GC. In pharmaceutical development, chromatography plays an important role in the evaluation of safety and efficacy of a new compound. This article provides an overview of the separation of drugs by pSFC. The effects of the chromatographic parameters were studied for the separation of steroids. In chiral separation, the successful results were shown and compared with HPLC.

Separation of ketoconazole enantiomers by chiral subcritical-fluid chromatography

The separation of ketoconazole enantiomers by subcritical-fluid chromatography using an amylose-based column is described. Drastic changes in the resolution have been obtained for the different organic modifiers evaluated, with ethanol providing the best results. Other chromatographic parameters such as temperature, pressure and flow-rate have also been studied. The best results in terms of resolution and analysis time were obtained using 30% ethanol (containing 0.1% triethylamine and 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid), a pressure of 300 bar, a temperature of 35 degrees C and a flow-rate of 3 ml/min. Under these conditions the ketoconazole enantiomers are resolved in a short time (less than 7 min) and with high resolution (4.29).

Chiral separation of four 1,3-dioxolane derivatives by supercritical fluid chromatography on an amylose-based column

The chiral separation of four 1,3-dioxolane derivatives by supercritical fluid chromatography on an amylose-based column is described. The effects of mobile phase composition, temperature and pressure have been investigated. The nature of the modifier is the parameter which has the highest impact on the chiral resolution and it is more important than the polarity of the mobile phase. The organic modifier used for the best enantiomeric separation was different for each compound, because it depends strongly on the molecular structure of the compound.

Comparison of liquid and supercritical fluid chromatography for the separation of enantiomers on chiral stationary phases

Comparisons of liquid (LC) and supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) were conducted using commercially available chiral stationary phases (CSPs) bearing three different types of chiral selectors. Chiral compounds of pharmaceutical and agricultural interest were used to probe advantages of limitations of SFC relative to LC for enantiomeric separations. Column equilibrium and parameter optimization were generally accomplished more rapidly in SFC than in LC. Although improved resolution was often observed in SFC, analysis times were not always lower in SFC than in LC. In some instances, SFC provided separation capabilities not readily accessible in LC.

Supercritical Fluid Extraction, a Novel Method for Production of Enantiomers

Extraction of 25 different binary mixtures of racemic acids [2-(4-isobutylphenyl)propionic acid, cis- and trans-chrysanthemic, and -permetric acid] and various chiral bases with supercritical carbon dioxide permitted the conclusion that molecular chiral differentiation in a supercritical fluid is more efficient than in conventional solvents. In the majority of cases, however, complete separation could not be achieved. In five cases, remarkable partial resolutions were realized (30-75% ee) and resolution was possible on a preparative scale. The pair cis-chrysanthemic acid and (S)-(+)-2-(benzylamino)-1-butanol was studied in detail. Pressure, temperature, time, as well as the molar ratio of base and acid had a marked influence on the quantity and quality of the products. Increasing pressure or decreasing temperature resulted in higher ee values. (-)-cis-Chrysanthemic acid in 99% ee was obtained from the raffinate in a single extraction step. Multiple extractions produced the (+)-cis-acid in 90% ee.