Gas-phase chiral separations by ion mobility spectrometry

Anal Chem. 2006 Dec 15;78(24):8200-6. doi: 10.1021/ac0608772.

Abstract

This article introduces the concept of chiral ion mobility spectrometry (CIMS) and presents examples demonstrating the gas-phase separation of enantiomers of a wide range of racemates including pharmaceuticals, amino acids, and carbohydrates. CIMS is similar to traditional ion mobility spectrometry, where gas-phase ions, when subjected to a potential gradient, are separated at atmospheric pressure due to differences in their shapes and sizes. In addition to size and shape, CIMS separates ions based on their stereospecific interaction with a chiral gas. In order to achieve chiral discrimination by CIMS, an asymmetric environment was provided by doping the drift gas with a volatile chiral reagent. In this study (S)-(+)-2-butanol was used as a chiral modifier to demonstrate enantiomeric separations of atenolol, serine, methionine, threonine, methyl alpha-glucopyranoside, glucose, penicillamine, valinol, phenylalanine, and tryptophan from their respective racemic mixtures.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids / chemistry
  • Amino Acids / isolation & purification*
  • Atmospheric Pressure
  • Butanols / chemistry*
  • Carbohydrates / chemistry
  • Carbohydrates / isolation & purification*
  • Gases*
  • Mass Spectrometry / methods*
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations / chemistry
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations / isolation & purification*
  • Stereoisomerism
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • Butanols
  • Carbohydrates
  • Gases
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations
  • 2-butanol