Liquid chromatographic resolution of the enantiomers of metoprolol and carvedilol in pharmaceutical formulations by use ofMarfey’sreagent and its variants

Abstract

A simple and rapid method has been established for indirect separation of the enantiomers of (R,S)-metoprolol and (R,S)-carvedilol by reversed-phase TLC. Beta blockers derivatized with 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrophenyl-5-l-alanine amide (Marfey’s reagent, FDNP-l-Ala-NH2) and its six structural variants (FDNP-l-Phe-NH2, FDNP-l-Val-NH2, FDNP-l-Pro-NH2, FDNP-l-Leu-NH2, FDNP-l-Met-NH2, and FDNP-d-Phg-NH2) were spotted on precoated plates. (R,S)- Metoprolol and (R,S)-carvedilol were isolated from pharmaceutical dosage forms and purified. The diastereomers were separated most effectively by use of mobile phases containing acetonitrile and triethylamine-phosphate buffer (50 mM, pH 5.5). The results obtained by use of Marfey’s reagent were compared with those obtained by use of the other variants. The effects of buffer concentration, pH, and concentration of organic modifier were studied.