Chiral Separations in Capillary Electrophoresis

Abstract

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is a versatile technique for analytical enantioseparations due to the availability of a large variety of chiral selectors as well as the different operation modes including electrokinetic chromatography (EKC), micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC), microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography (MEEKC), and capillary electrochromatography (CEC). In EKC, MEKC, and MEEKC, the chiral selector is added to the background electrolyte representing a pseudostationary phase with its own electrophoretic mobility and thus allowing a variety of different separation protocols. CEC is considered a hybrid technique between CE and chromatography, combining the advantages of an electrophoretic driven flow in CE with the selectivity of chromatographic stationary phases. The current article will briefly cover the principles of chiral separations in CE as well as the major chiral selectors used. Furthermore, the main separation modes currently used in CE will be addressed.