Separation by high-performance liquid chromatography of (3R)- and (3S)-beta-leucine as diastereomeric derivatives

For studies on the coenzyme B12-dependent enzyme, leucine-2,3-aminomutase, (3R)- and (3S)-beta-leucines were synthesized. The 10-camphorsulfonamide p-nitrobenzyl esters could be resolved by normal-phase HPLC. A much better separation was obtained by reversed-phase HPLC of the diastereomeric derivatives obtained by treatment of -leucine with Marfey's reagent (N2-(5-fluoro-2,4-dinitrophenyl)-L-alaninamide).