Novel separation scheme for capillary electrophoresis of enantiomers

A systematic approach is described for methods development of chiral separations of weak acidic and basic compounds by capillary electrophoresis, using several natural and derivatized neutral cyclodextrins as chiral selectors. Following the methods development scheme suggested here, the appropriate pH of the running buffer as well as the type and concentration of the cyclodextrin is established for the separation of enantiomers. Preselected chiral selectors of beta-cyclodextrin, gamma-cyclodextrin, hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin and dimethyl-beta-cyclodextrin in low and high concentrations, dissolved in low pH, high pH or pH = pK buffers, are employed during the separation method development and optimization. Depending on the type of separation, introduced by Vigh (desionoselective: only the nondissociated; ionoselective: only the dissociated; duo-selective: both enantiomers complex selectively), in most instances at least one of the pH/cyclodextrin combinations results in acceptable separation of the solute enantiomers. The viability of the approach is demonstrated through step by step development of chiral separation for several basic and acidic enantiomers.