Abstract
A three-leveled Plackett-Burman experimental design was used for the optimization of enantiomeric separation of chlorpheniramine by capillary zone electrophoresis using hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin as chiral recognition agent. In this study, the effects of five important factors, namely, pH of the buffer, concentration of chiral selector, organic cations composing the background electrolyte, organic solvent and applied voltage upon resolution, migration time, and peak efficiency were investigated. The optimum separation conditions deduced from the effects were used to determine the amount of the (−)-isomer as impurity in a (+)-chlorpheniramine raw substance and two dexchlorpheniramine commercial tablets. It was found that the impurity levels were between 1 and 2%.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors are thankful to National Science Council of the Republic of China for its financial support (NSC 87-2314-B-002-090).