Chiral Derivatizing Reagents Research Articles

Succinimidyl (3-[(benzyloxy)carbonyl]-5-oxo-1,3-oxazolidin-4-yl)acetate on a triazole-bonded phase for the separation of dl-amino-acid enantiomers and the mass-spectrometric determination of chiral amino acids in rat plasma

Changes in the levels of amino-acid enantiomers are associated with some serious diseases; consequently, amino acid monitoring in peripheral blood can be used to diagnose and predict the onset of disease. Herein, we report the design and synthesis of a new chiral derivatization reagent, namely succinimidyl (4S)-(3-[(benzyloxy)carbonyl]-5-oxo-1,3-oxazolidin-4-yl)acetate ((S)-COXA-OSu), for the separation of dl-amino-acid enantiomers. The usefulness of (S)-COXA-OSu was examined as a derivatization reagent for LC-MS/MS following certification of its total optical purity (>99%). The enantiomeric separations of amino-acid derivatives tagged with the reagent were examined using a triazole-bonded phase. (S)-COXA-OSu enabled the simultaneous enantiomeric separation of more than 40 α-amino acids. (S)-COXA-amino-acid derivatives were efficiently converted into their product ions, from which formaldehyde (CH2O) was eliminated [M-30] from the oxazolidinone moiety of COXA by collision-induced dissociation during LC-MS/MS. Limits of detection were in the 0.0138–0.518 pmol/injection range. For precise and accurate quantitation, we synthesized and used a stable-isotope-labeled (S)-COXA-OSu that was used as an internal standard in LC-MS/MS-determination experiments. Finally, changes in plasma amino-acid levels in rats, following administration of S-methyl-l-cysteine, an alanine-serine-cysteine transporter-1 (Asc-1) inhibitor, were successfully detected by LC-MS/MS using (S)-COXA-OSu.

Liquid chromatographic enantioseparation of (RS)-etodolac using (S)-levofloxacin and determination of absolute configuration of the diastereomeric derivatives.

(RS)-Etodolac was isolated from commercial tablets and was purified and characterized to be used as racemic standard. A pair of diastereomeric derivatives was synthesized using (S)-levofloxacin as a chiral derivatizing reagent. The derivatization reaction was carried out under conditions of stirring at room temperature (30°C for 1.5 h) as well as under microwave irradiation; the derivatives obtained by the two methods were compared. Reaction conditions for derivatization were optimized with respect to mole ratio of chiral derivatizing reagent and (RS)-etodolac. No racemization was observed throughout the study. Separation of diastereomeric derivatives was successful using C18 column and a binary mixture of methanol and triethyl ammonium phosphate buffer of pH 4.5 (80:20, v/v) as mobile phase at a flow rate of 1 mL min-1 and UV detection at 223 nm. An efficient approach for recognizing chirality and determining the absolute configuration of the diastereomeric derivatives of (RS)-etodolac is described, which in turn is a measure of the enantiomeric purity of (RS)-etodolac since the diastereomeric derivatives were separated and isolated using preparative thin-layer chromatography.

Enantioseparation of (RS)-fexofenadine and enhanced detection as the diastereomeric amide and anhydride derivatives using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Enantioselective analysis of (RS)-fexofenadine was carried out by achiral HPLC via a derivatization approach using N-hydroxy-benzotriazolyl-(S)-naproxen ester (synthesized for this purpose) and three chirally pure amines as chiral derivatizing reagents. There occurred formation of amide and anhydride types of diastereomeric derivatives. These were separated and isolated by HPLC (analytical and preparative). The structures and configurations were verified via recording full-scan product ion mass spectra using LC-MS, 1 HNMR spectra, Chem3D Pro 12.0 software and the software Gaussian 09 Rev.A.02 program and hybrid density functional B3LYP with 6-31G basis set supplemented with polarimetry. Experimental conditions for synthesis and separations were optimized and the elution order was established. Analytical separation was performed on a C18 analytical column with different ratios of MeCN-TEAP buffer and MeOH-TEAP buffer (v/v) adjusted to pH 7.5 as mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.7 mL min-1 . Detection was performed via UV absorbance at 225 nm. The method was validated in accordance with International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. The detection limits were 6.25 and 7.87 ng mL-1 for first and second eluting diastereomeric derivatives, respectively.

Enantioseparation of (RS)-Bupropion and determination of configuration

ABSTRACTRacemate of (RS)-Bupropion (Bup) has been separated by derivatization approach and thin layer chromatography (TLC). It was extracted from commercially available tablets, purified, and characterized. A new chiral derivatization reagent (CDR) was synthesized by introducing L-leucine amide and butoxy group in cyanuric chloride (CC) moiety. Derivatization reaction was carried out using a two-fold molar excess of CDR under microwave irradiation (MWI). The diastereomeric pair was separated by TLC and the same were recovered by the preparative method; these were purified and characterized. Absolute configuration of the Bup moiety in the diastereomeric derivatives was confirmed by recording their 1HNMR spectra and thus elution order was also established.

Bioassay, determination and separation of enantiomers of atenolol by direct and indirect approaches using liquid chromatography: A review.

Atenolol, a β-adrenergic receptor antagonist, is a chiral compound used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and to treat hypertension, coronary heart disease, arrhythmias, sinus tachycardia and myocardial infarction, where it acts preferentially upon the β-adrenergic receptors in the heart. It is marketed as a racemate, but only the (S)-enantiomer of (RS)-atenolol is responsible for the β-adrenoceptor blocking activity. Different chromatographic methods have been applied for the separation and determination of enantiomers. In this article a review is presented on liquid chromatographic methods for enantioseparation of (RS)-atenolol by both direct and indirect approaches involving practical applications of several chiral stationary phases, chiral derivatization reagents and ligand exchange and impregnation methods. These include methods using both HPLC and TLC for separation, determination and bioassay of enantiomers of atenolol. In addition, some aspects of enantioseparation under achiral phases of liquid chromatography have been briefly mentioned as applicable to (RS)-atenolol. This review provides current available enantioseparation choices not only for (RS)-atenolol but also for other applicable racemic drugs.

Synthesis and evaluation of a novel chiral derivatization reagent for resolution of carboxylic acid enantiomers by RP-HPLC

A novel derivatization reagent, N-[1-Oxo-5-(triphenylphosphonium)pentyl]-(S)-3-aminopyrrolidine (OTPA), with triphenylphosphine (TPP) as a basic structure carrying a permanent positive charge was developed for the enantiomeric separation of chiral carboxylic acids by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). OTPA reacted with the carboxylic acids at 40°C within 90min in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) and 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HOBt). The degree of epimerization (racemization) during the derivatization reaction was negligible. The separability of the diastereomers was evaluated in terms of their resolution value (Rs). The Rs values of the derivatives of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which were selected as the representative carboxylic acids, were completely separated by reversed-phase chromatography using an ODS (4.6mm×150mm I.D., 5.0μm) column. The resolution Rs values were 1.54–2.23 for the evaluated carboxylic acids and the OTPA-derivatization was also effective for the enantiomeric separation of chiral carboxylic acids. The calibration curves (r2>0.9971) were linear over the concentration range of 0.0125–1.25mM for each enantiomer of ketoprofen (KET), and naproxen (NAP), 0.05–1.0mM for each enantiomer of ibuprofen (IBU), 2-phenylpropionic acid (PPA), and loxoprofen (LOX), and 0.05–1.25mM for each enantiomer of PBA. The limit of detection (S/N=3) for each of the enantiomers of the NSAIDs and chiral carboxylic acid enantiomers was 1.4–7.6μmol/L. The inter-day and intra-day assay precisions were all <6.77% and the mean recoveries (%) of the NSAIDs and chiral carboxylic acids from the spiked human plasma were 95.27–101.12%. The derivatization followed by HPLC-UV enabled the separation and detection of NAP in human plasma with simple pretreatment.

Enantiomeric Resolution of (RS)-Naproxen and Application of (S)- Naproxen in the Direct and Indirect Enantioseparation of Racemic Compounds by Liquid Chromatography: A Review.

(S)-Naproxen (Npx), an α-aryl propionic acid derivative, belongs to the class of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and is easily available in pure (S)-form. (S)-Npx has been used as a chiral selector for chromatographic separation of a variety of racemates, using both direct and indirect methods, and has been found to be useful and successful as a basic chiral moiety. This review article describes methods for enantioseparation of (RS)-Npx, development of chiral stationary phases based on (S)-Npx and preparation of novel chiral derivatizing reagents synthesized from (S)-Npx along with their application for enantioseparation of several pharmaceutically important racemates.

Chiral analysis of ammuxetine enantiomers in dog plasma using online SPE/liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometric detection after precolumn chiral derivatization.

Ammuxetine (AMT), a novel chiral antidepressant candidate compound, exhibits better antidepression effects than duloxetine in different animal models. In this article, a chiral derivatization method, combined with online solid phase extraction (online SPE) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), was developed for the chiral separation of AMT enantiomers after administration of racemic AMT to dogs. The derivatization reaction employed 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-b-glucopyr-anosyl isothiocyanate (GITC) as a precolumn chiral derivatization reagent. A SPE column Retain PEP Javelin (10×2.1mm) was used to remove proteins and other impurities in plasma samples. The enantiomeric derivatives were separated on a ZORBAX SB-C18 column (50×2.1mm×3.5μm) with an isocratic elution procedure. The selected multiple reaction monitoring mode of the positive ion was performed and the parent to the product transitions m/z 681.0/543.1 and m/z 687.4/543.1 were used to measure the derivatives of AMT and duloxetine (internal standard) with electrospray ionization. The method was validated in terms of specificity, linearity, sensitivity, precision, accuracy, matrix effect, and stability. The method was applied to a pharmacokinetics study of AMT racemate in dogs. The results suggested that the pharmacokinetic of AMT enantiomers might be stereoselective in dogs.

Liquid Chromatographic Enantioseparation of (RS) - Baclofen by Indirect Methods - A Review

Objective: This article surveys high-performance liquid chromatographic methods of Enantioseparation of (RS)- Baclofenstereiosomers. Methods: The methods adopted for enantioseparation of Baclofen was derivatizing Baclofen with a suitable Chiral Derivatizing Reagent (CDR) and then the resulting diasteroemrs were subjected on C 18 column. The diastereomers get separated due to different physical and chemical properties of diastereomers. Findings: Among several CDRs tested for enantiosepration of (RS) baclofen, Marfey’s reagent based CDR, FDNP-L-Leu-amide was found to have highest resolution of the Baclofen enantiomers. Applications: The chiral separation of pharmaceuticals is one of the major research topics in the pharmaceutical industry since it became evident that the potential biological or pharmacological applications are mostly restricted to one of the enantiomers, just like the (R)-enantiomer of Baclofen is about 100 times morepotent than the (S)-isomer, still it is sold as racemic drug. Therefore it was worthwhile to study the enantiosepration of (RS) Baclofen.

TLC and HPLC Enantioseparation of Amino Containing Pharmaceutical Using Levofloxacin as Chiral Derivatizing Reagent in Indirect Method

TLC and HPLC Enantioseparation of Amino Containing Pharmaceutical Using Levofloxacin as Chiral Derivatizing Reagent in Indirect Method

Determination of enantiomeric vigabatrin by derivatization with diacetyl-l-tartaric anhydride followed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Vigabatrin, one of the most widely used antiepileptic drugs, is marketed and administered as a racemic mixture, while only S-enantiomer is therapeutically effective. In the present study, diacetyl-l-tartaric acid anhydride was used as an inexpensive and effective chiral derivatization reagent to produce tartaric acid monoester derivatives of vigabatrin enantiomers that could be readily resolved by reversed phase chromatography. Derivatization conditions were statistically optimized by response surface methodology, resulting in an optimal reaction temperature of 44°C and an optimal reaction time of 30min. The derivatized diastereomers of vigabatrin and internal standard (gabapentin) were analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry. For this analysis, an Agilent ZORBAX Rapid Resolution High Definition Eclipse Plus C18 column (100mm×2.1mm, 1.8μm) was employed for chromatographic separation using 10mM ammonium formate (pH 3.0) and methanol as mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.2mLmin-1. The established method was validated in terms of specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, dilution integrity, recovery, matrix effect, stability, and incurred sample reanalysis. It was linear over a range of 0.25-100.0mgL-1 for both S- and R-enantiomers (R2≥0.9987 for both). Intra- and inter-day precisions and accuracies were within acceptable ranges. The method was successfully applied to determine the levels of vigabatrin enantiomers in mouse serum after administration of vigabatrin racemate.

Enantioresolution of (RS)-baclofen by liquid chromatography: A review.

Baclofen is a commonly used racemic drug and has a simple chemical structure in terms of the presence of only one stereogenic center. Since the desirable pharmacological effect is in only one enantiomer, several possibilities exist for the other enantiomer for evaluation of the disposition of the racemic mixture of the drug. This calls for the development of enantioselective analytical methodology. This review summarizes and evaluates different methods of enantioseparation of (RS)-baclofen using both direct and indirect approaches, application of certain chiral reagents and chiral stationary phases (though very expensive). Methods of separation of diastereomers of (RS)-baclofen prepared with different chiral derivatizing reagents (under microwave irradiation at ease and in less time) on reversed-phase achiral columns or via a ligand exchange approach providing high-sensitivity detection by the relatively less expensive methods of TLC and HPLC are discussed. The methods may be helpful for determination of enantiomers in biological samples and in pharmaceutical formulations for control of enantiomeric purity and can be practiced both in analytical laboratories and industry for routine analysis and R&D activities.

Liquid chromatographic enantioseparation of three beta-adrenolytics using new derivatizing reagents synthesized from (S)-ketoprofen and confirmation of configuration of diastereomers.

Diastereomers of racemic β-adrenolytic drugs [namely (RS)-propranolol, (RS)-metoprolol and (RS)-atenolol] were synthesized under microwave irradiation with (S)-ketoprofen based chiral derivatization reagents (CDRs) newly synthesized for this purpose. (S)-Ketoprofen was chosen for its high molar absorptivity (εo ~ 40,000) and its availability as a pure (S)-enantiomer. Its -COOH group was activated with N-hydroxysuccinimide and N-hydroxybenzotriazole; these were easily introduced and also acted as good leaving groups during nucleophilic substitution by the amino group of the racemic β-adrenolytics. The CDRs were characterized by UV, IR, 1 H-NMR, HRMS and CHNS. Separation of diastereomers was achieved by RP HPLC and open column chromatography. Absolute configuration of the diastereomers was established with the help of 1 HNMR supported by developing their optimized lowest energy structures using Gaussian 09 Rev. A.02 program and hybrid density functional B3LYP with 6-31G* basis set (based on density functional theory), and elution order was established. RP HPLC conditions for separation were optimized and the separation method was validated. The limit of detection values were 0.308 and 0.302 ng mL-1 . Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

(RS)‐Propranolol: enantioseparation by HPLC using newly synthesized (S)‐levofloxacin‐based reagent, absolute configuration of diastereomers and recovery of native enantiomers by detagging

Diastereomers of (RS)-propranolol were synthesized using (S)-levofloxacin-based new chiral derivatizing reagents (CDRs). Levofloxacin was chosen as the pure (S)-enantiomer for its high molar absorptivity (εo ∼ 24000) and availability at a low price. Its -COOH group had N-hydroxysuccinimide and N-hydroxybenzotriazole, which acted as good leaving groups during nucleophilic substitution by the amino group of the racemic (RS)-propranolol; the CDRs were characterized by UV, IR, (1) H-NMR, high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and sulphur fundamental elemental components analyser (CHNS). Diastereomers were separated quantitatively using open column chromatography; absolute configuration of the diastereomers was established and the reagent moiety was detagged under microwave-assisted acidic conditions. (S)- and (R)-propranolol as pure enantiomers and (S)-levofloxacin were separated, isolated and characterized. Optimized lowest-energy structures of the diastereomers were developed using Gaussian 09 Rev. A.02 program and hybrid density functional B3LYP with 6-31G* basis set (based on density functional theory) for explanation of elution order and configuration. In addition, RP HPLC conditions for separation of diastereomers were optimized with respect to pH, concentration of buffer, flow rate of mobile phase and nature of organic modifier. HPLC separation method was validated as per International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. With the systematic application of various analytical techniques, absolute configuration of the diastereomers (and the native enantiomers) of (RS)-propranolol was established. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Quantification of 2-Hydroxyglutarate Enantiomers by Liquid Chromatography-mass Spectrometry.

Two enantiomers of 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG), L (L2HG) and D (D2HG), are metabolites of unknown function in mammalian cells that were initially associated with separate and rare inborn errors of metabolism resulting in increased urinary excretion of 2HG linked to neurological deficits in children (Chalmers et al., 1980; Duran et al., 1980; Kranendijk et al., 2012). More recently, investigators have shown that D2HG is produced by mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase enzymes associated with a variety of human malignancies, such as acute myeloid leukemia, glioblastoma multiforme, and cholangiocarcinoma (Cairns and Mak, 2013; Dang et al., 2009; Ward et al., 2010). By contrast, we and others have shown that L2HG accumulates in response to cellular reductive stressors like hypoxia, activation of hypoxia inducible factors, and mitochondrial electron transport chain defects (Oldham et al., 2015; Reinecke et al., 2011; Intlekofer et al., 2015; Mullen et al., 2015). Each enantiomer is produced and metabolized in independent biochemical pathways in reactions catalyzed by separate enzymes and utilizing different cofactors with presumably different consequences for cellular metabolism (Kranendijk et al., 2012). Therefore, as research into the roles of D2HG and L2HG in human metabolism continues, it becomes increasingly important for investigators to consider each enantiomer independently (Struys, 2013). Several methods for quantification of biochemically relevant enantiomers in general have been developed and typically include enzymatic assays using enzymes specific for one enantiomeric species or the other, the use of chiral chromatography medium to facilitate chromatographic separation of enantiomers prior to spectroscopy, or the use of chiral derivatization reagents to convert a mixture of enantiomers to diastereomers with differing physical and chemical properties facilitating their chromatographic separation. In this protocol, we report the adaptation of a previously published derivatization method using diacetyl-l-tartaric anhydride (DATAN) for the quantification of 2HG enantiomers (Figure 1) (Oldham et al., 2015; Struys et al., 2004).

Camphanic acid chloride: a powerful derivatization reagent for stereoisomeric separation and its DMPK applications.

Camphanic acid chloride has proven to be an efficient chiral derivatization reagent for determination of stereoisomers. The utility of chemical derivatization of various stereoisomers containing hydroxy functional groups with camphanic acid chloride in the presence or absence of a base is highlighted. This procedure is shown to be relatively simple, fast and a cost-effective method of separating racemic drugs and stereoisomeric metabolites in biological matrices. Camphanic derivatives contain two additional chirogenic centers, which are found to enhance stereoisomeric separation on both traditional and chiral stationary phases. Four methodologies described herein for separation of multiple stereoisomers in biological samples confirm camphanic acid chloride to be a powerful chiral reagent for stereoisomeric resolution for drug metabolism and PK applications.

Ultrasound-assisted chiral derivatization of etodolac with (1R)-(−)-menthyl chloroformate for the determination of etodolac enantiomers

This study presents the first report of an ultrasound-assisted derivatization reaction between a carboxylic acid of etodolac (ETO) and a chiral derivatization reagent, (1R)-(−)-menthyl chloroformate (R-MCF). FiftyμL of deproteinated mouse serum containing ETO enantiomers was derivatized with 125μL of 200mM R-MCF and 17μL of pyridine (a catalyst), with the reaction facilitated by ultrasonic radiation for 13min, which were the optimal conditions as determined by response surface methodology. After quenching the reaction by adding an aqueous L-proline solution, the mixture was subjected to salting-out assisted liquid–liquid extraction (SA-LLE), which provided phase separation for sample concentration as well as cleanup. The ETO diastereomers were separated on a Phenomenex Gemini C18 column (150×4.6mm, 5μm) under a simple gradient elution of a mobile phase containing a mixture of methanol: acetonitrile (10:1, V/V) and 10mM acetic acid at a flow rate of 1.0mLmin−1, followed by fluorescence detection with excitation and fluorescence emission wavelengths of 235nm and 345nm, respectively. The developed method was validated for specificity, sensitivity, linearity, accuracy, precision, stability, and matrix effect. A good linearity in the range of 0.5–50.0μgmL−1 for each ETO enantiomer with r2>0.998 and acceptable values for the intra-day and inter-day accuracy and precision as well as negligible matrix effects supported the suitability and reliability of the method. Finally, this method was used to analyze real samples taken from mice treated with (±)-ETO.

Indirect chiral separation of tryptophan enantiomers by high performance liquid chromatography with indirect chemiluminiscence detection.

In recent years, the study of chiral compounds in vivo has received much attention. In this study, a novel method based on high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with chemiluminescence (CL) detection was developed for the separation of tryptophan (Trp) enantiomers. o-Phthalaldehyde and N-acetyl-l-cysteine were used as chiral derivatization reagents for Trp before it can be detected by HPLC-CL method. The separation was carried out on an ODS column using a mobile phase composed of methanol-0.01mol/L phosphate buffer (40/60, v/v). Under the optimum conditions, satisfactory results were obtained, including complete separation, good relative standard deviations and low detection limits. The applicability of the proposed method has been validated by determining Trp in biological samples. Linear responses (r>0.9990) were observed over the range of 2.5×10(-7) to 1.2×10(-5)g/mL of Trp enantiomers, with quantitation limit of 2.5×10(-7)g/mL. The assay method shows good specificity to Trp enantiomers, and thus it will have great potential application in clinical diagnosis. The mean extraction efficiency of Trp enantiomers in mice plasma samples were 98.48% and 97.40%, respectively. The mean relative standard deviation (RSD) of Trp enantiomers were <3%.

A novel approach for LC-MS/MS-based chiral metabolomics fingerprinting and chiral metabolomics extraction using a pair of enantiomers of chiral derivatization reagents

Chiral metabolites are found in a wide variety of living organisms and some of them are understood to be physiologically active compounds and biomarkers. However, the overall analysis of chiral metabolomics is quite difficult due to the high number of metabolites, the significant diversity in their physicochemical properties, and concentration range from metabolite-to-metabolite. To solve this difficulty, we developed a novel approach for chiral metabolomics fingerprinting and chiral metabolomics extraction, which is based on the labeling of a pair of enantiomers of chiral derivatization reagents (i.e., DMT-(S,R)-Pro-OSu and DMT-3(S,R)-Apy) and precursor ion scan chromatography of the derivatives. The multivariate statistics is also required for this strategy. The proposed procedures were evaluated by the detection of a diagnostic marker (i.e., d-lactic acid) using the saliva of diabetic patients. This method was used for the determination of biomarker candidates of chiral amines and carboxyls in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain homogenates. As the results, l-phenylalanine (L-Phe) and l-lactic acid (L-LA) were identified as the decreased and increased biomarker candidates in the AD brain, respectively. Therefore, the proposed approach seems to be helpful for the determination of non-target chiral metabolomics possessing amines and carboxyls.

Resolution of enantiomers of bupropion and its metabolites by liquid chromatography.

Bupropion, a tricyclic aminoketone, is used primarily in the treatment of depression, the management of patients with bipolar and schizo-affective disorder, and the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Bupropion is marketed as a racemate, but the racemic mixture is known to have several disadvantages while the two isomers of bupropion and its metabolite differ significantly in their pharmacological activities. Therefore, the stereoselective determination of the drug enantiomers in pharamaceutical dosages, plasma or urine is of potential clinical and analytical importance. Different chromatographic methods have been employed for the separation of the two enantiomers. This is the first attempt to review the methods of enantiosepartion of bupropion using both direct and indirect approaches in both HPLC and TLC. The review presents a detailed discussion on the use of chiral stationary phase (based on polysaccharide, α1 acid glycoprotein and ovomucoid column) and chiral derivatizing reagents (based on isothiocyanate and cyanuric chloride) along with TLC separation of bupropion enantiomers using ligand exchange and impregnation methods. The focus is also on the separation mechanism for enantioresolution using the various methods described herein.