6533b82efe1ef96bd1292635

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Separation of the enantiomers of primary and secondary amphetamines by liquid chromatography after derivatization with (−)-1-(9-fluorenyl)ethyl chloroformate

subject

description

The chiral reagent (−)-1-(9-fluorenyl)ethyl chloroformate (FLEC) has been evaluated for the enantioselective analysis of amphetamines by liquid chromatography. For separation of the FLEC diastereomers conventional reversed-phase conditions were used. The conditions affording the best enantiomeric resolution and sensitivity were determined for amphetamine, methamphetamine, ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), and 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDE). All the amphetamines assayed could be separated with resolution factors ranging from 0.91 to 1.92. Although FLEC is typically used as a fluorogenic reagent, it was shown that UV detection is the best option for stereospecific analysis of the methylenedioxylated amphetamine derivatives (MDA, MDMA, and MDE), because different fluorimetric responses were obtained for the corresponding diastereomers. The utility of the proposed conditions for stereoselective analysis of amphetamines in different types of sample is discussed.