Chiral ligand-exchange separations

Chiral ligand-exchange chromatography (CLEC) ° separates enantiomers by the formation of diastereomeric metal complexes. In a first instance the technique was mainly used for the separation of amino acids. Impressive results of the first separations gave rise to intensive investigation in the field and numerous publications appeared in the literature, which have been reviewed. 

TABLE 4 Examples of Chiral Separations in Chiral Ligand-Exchange Chromatography... 

Based on preliminary results from Helfferich130, further developments by Davankov and co-workers5 131 133 turned the principle of chelation into a powerful chiral chromatographic method by the introduction of chiral-complex-forming synlhetie resins. The technique is based on the reversible chelate complex formation of the chiral selector and the selectand (analyte) molecules with transient metal cations. The technical term is chiral ligand exchange chromatography (CLEC) reliable and complete LC separation of enantiomers of free a-amino acids and other classes of chiral compounds was made as early as 1968 131. 

O Naobumi, H Kitahara, R Kira. Direct separation of enantiomers by high-performance liquid chromatography on a new chiral ligand-exchange phase. J Chromatogr 592 291-296, 1992. 

Chiral ligand-exchange chromatography resolves enantiomers on the basis of their ability to complex with transition metal ions, such as copper, zinc, and cadmium, as illustrated by the separation of amino acid racemates using copper102 (Fig. 2.21). The principle of exchange is similar to that... 

Schmid et al. [60] demonstrated the enantiomer separation of underivatized amino acids on a monolithic chiral ligand-exchange phase by rod-CEC. The chiral stationary phase was prepared in situ in the capillary by polymerization of methacrylic acid, piperazine diacrylamide, vinylsulfonic acid and /V-(2-hydroxy-3-alloxypropyl)-L-4-hydroxyproline. The monolithic separation bed was covalently linked to the internal capillary wall and thus no frits were required. Fig. 9.13 shows the enantiomer separation of phenylalanine by (A) pure CEC (30 kV), (B) nano-LC (12 bar) and (C) pressure supported CEC (30 kV, 12 bar at the inlet vial). The shortest elution time was clearly obtained by pressure supported CEC, while the highest resolution was found in the pure CEC mode (CEC Rs = 2.11 nano-LC Rs = 0.98 pressure supported CEC Rs= 1.60). 

Chiral ligand-exchange chromatography is based on the formation of diastereomeric ternary complexes that involve a transition metal ion (M), usually copper II a single enantiomer of a chiral molecule (L), usually an amino acid and the eitantiomers of the racemic solute R and S). The diastereomeric mixed chelate complexes formed in this system are represented by the formulas L-M-R and L-M-S. When these complexes have different stabilities, the less stable complex is eluted first, and the enantiomeric solutes are separated. 

The most important technique for enantiomeric separation in TLC is chiral ligand-exchange chromatography (LEC). LEC is based on the copper(II) complex formation of a chiral selector and the respective optical antipodes. Differences in the retention of the enantiomers are caused by dissimilar stabilities of their diastereomeric metal complexes. The requirement of sufficient stability of the ternary complex involves five-membered ring formation, and compounds such as a-amino and a-hydroxy-acids are the most suitable. 

Chiral separation of racemic drugs is required by the pharmaceutical industry because different optical forms of the drugs often play different roles in their pharmacological action, metabohsm, and toxicity. Chiral ligand exchange chromatography plays an important role in this respect. 

Chiral stationary phases that are currently available can be classified into those containing cavities (cellulose derivatives, cyclodextrins, synthetic polymers, crown ethers, and chiral imprinted gels), affinity phases (bovine serum albumin, human serum albumin, a-glycoprotein, enzymes), multiple hydrogen-bond phases, Ti-donor and Ti-acceptor phases, and chiral ligand exchange phases. This classification scheme was used in a review that gave numerous pharmaceutical examples of separation by... 

Rozylo and Malinowska [39] proposed the use of these polymers to separate optical antipodes in TLC in view of the complexing property of Cu(II) retained on the chitin surface, in analogy with chiral ligand exchange chromatography (CLEC). These plates were not considered as CCPs (see Chapter 5) because they were constituted by a chiral sorbent impregnated with an achiral selector, in the opposite way to the CCPs formation. 

This separation technique, usually known as chiral ligand exchange chromatography (CLEC), was based on the three-point interaction rule, postulated by Dalgliesh [2] in 1952. 

Achiral Columns Together with Chiral Mobile Phases. Ligand-exchange chromatography for chiral separation has been introduced (59), and has been appHed to the resolution of several a-amino acids. Prior derivatization is sometimes necessary. Preparative resolutions are possible, but the method is sensitive to small variations in the mobile phase and sometimes gives poor reproducibiUty. 

V. A. Davankov, Ligand-exchange phases in Chiral Separations by HPLC, A. M. Krstulovic, Ellis Horwood Ltd., Chichester (1989) Chapter 15. 

Ligand binding, in proteins, 20 829-830 Ligand-exchange phases, for chiral separations, 6 82-83 Ligands... 

A large number of chiral molecules have been separated with ligand-exchange chiral stationary phases. A few examples with commercially available columns are given in Table 4. 

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