Comparison of the chiral resolution on cis-trans isomeric chiral stationary phases derived from (S)-1-(1-naphthyl)ethylamine

A pair of cis-trans isomeric chiral stationary phases (CSPs) derived from (S)-1-(1-naphthyl)ethylamine was prepared. The chromatographic behaviours on both CSPs with regard to the resolution of enantiomeric amino acids, amino alcohols, amines, and carboxylic acid were studied. According to separation factors, the trans-CSP showed better chiral recognition ability for the separation of most analytes chosen in this study. Three homologous series of the alkyl esters of racemic amino acids were resolved on both CSPs using n-hexane-2-propanol and n-hexane-dichloromethane as mobile phases. The trans-CSP also showed better enantioselectivity for the resolution of homologues. A reverse of elution order was observed for the resolution of the homologous series of phenylglycine alkyl esters on both CSPs. It was found that the relationship between the separation factor and the alkyl chain length of the ester homologous series depended upon the components of mobile phase. A higher magnitude of difference between the two CSPs in enantioselectivity for the resolution of a given homologue was obtained when n-hexane-dichloromethane was used as a mobile phase. A chiral recognition process, in which steric repulsion, face-to-face pi-pi interaction, face-to-edge pi-pi interaction and hydrogen bonding interaction were involved, was also suggested to describe the separation of enantiomeric homologues on both CSPs. This study clearly indicates that the chiral resolution is influenced by the geometry of the double bond in a CSP.