Abstract
A method for the enantiomeric separation and direct detection of trans‐2‐aminocyclohexanol by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with evaporative light scattering detection (ELSD) using a crown ether column has been developed. The influence of mobile phase composition on the separation was investigated in detail. It was found that enantiomeric separation could be achieved when a strong chaotropic counterion, such as TFA, is used as the mobile phase modifier. Organic modifiers, such as methanol, influence the retention times, but have no effect on the separation factor. Column temperature plays an important role on the separation. The Van't Hoff plot reveals that the interaction mechanism is enthalpy driven. The ELSD sensitivity was also studied as a function of gas pressure, drift tube temperature, and nebulizing gas type. The optimum operation condition was to use air as the nebulizing gas (1.5 psi) with the drift tube temperature ranging from 110–115°C.
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank Dr. Richard Thompson, Merck Research Laboratories, for helpful discussion on this investigation. The authors also wish to thank Dr. Wenjie Li, Merck Research Laboratories, for providing the (1S,2S)‐trans‐2‐aminocyclohexanol.