Chiral chromatography method screening strategies: Past, present and future

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Chromatography
• Separation Science

Background:

• Chiral separations are crucial in chromatography but challenging due to complex retention mechanisms.
• Standard method development involves extensive screening of stationary and mobile phases, often limiting high-throughput analyses.
• The rate-limiting nature of method screening necessitates efficient strategies for chiral separation development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review and compile solutions for reducing method-screening time in chiral separations.
• To provide a comprehensive resource for assessing existing screening protocols in laboratories.
• To address the challenges in developing predefined method-development steps for diverse chiral molecules.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of solutions published over the last two decades.
• Critical discussion and compilation of diverse method-screening strategies.
• Analysis of adopted and confined strategies in chiral separation science.

Main Results:

• Identification of various strategies proposed to reduce net method-screening time.
• Assessment of the practical adoption and theoretical confinement of these strategies.
• Compilation of solutions to aid laboratories in evaluating their chiral separation protocols.

Conclusions:

• A consolidated review of method-screening strategies can significantly aid laboratories in chiral separations.
• Effective screening protocols are essential for overcoming the complexity of chiral stationary-phase retention.
• This review provides a valuable resource for optimizing high-throughput analyses and purification workflows in enantiomeric separations.