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Updated: Jun 10, 2026
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Coulomb Explosion Imaging as a Tool to Distinguish Between Stereoisomers
Published on: August 18, 2017
Chiral separations
1Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, Ohio 45220, USA. Apryll.Stalcup@uc.edu
Summary
This review offers an introduction to chiral separations for analytical chemists. It covers fundamental concepts, common strategies, and key differences between chiral and achiral separation techniques.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Separation Science
Background:
- Chiral separations are crucial for distinguishing enantiomers, essential in pharmaceuticals and biochemistry.
- A wide variety of chiral columns, reagents, and selectors exist across multiple separation platforms.
- Researchers new to chiral separations face a complex landscape of available tools and techniques.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a concise overview of chiral separation principles and techniques.
- To guide researchers unfamiliar with chiral separations through the available methodologies.
- To highlight key differences between chiral and achiral separation methods.
Main Methods:
- Review of general strategies and commonalities in chiral separation techniques.
- Discussion of various analytical separation platforms including HPLC, GC, SFC, and CE.
- Examination of different classes of chiral selectors and their applications.
Main Results:
- Chiral separations present unique challenges and require specialized approaches compared to achiral separations.
- Understanding fundamental concepts and common strategies aids in selecting appropriate chiral separation methods.
- Key differences between chiral and achiral separations are elucidated with relevant examples.
Conclusions:
- This review serves as a foundational guide to the field of chiral separations.
- It simplifies the complex array of chiral technologies for novice researchers.
- The insights provided facilitate informed decisions in selecting and applying chiral separation techniques.
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