SEPARATION OF CARNITINE ENANTIOMERS AS THE 9-ANTHROYLNITRILE DERIVATIVES AND HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS ON AN OVOMUCOID-CONJUGATED COLUMN

9-Anthroylnitrile was used as an achiral reagent for the derivatizatio n of carnitine. The reagent forms UV-absorbing derivatives with the hy droxyl groups of carnitine enantiomers under very mild conditions. The derivatives were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography on an ovomucoid-conjugated column with a mobile phase of acetonitrile- 20 mM KH2 PO4 (adjusted to pH 4.5 with phosphoric acid) (17:83, v/v). The separation factor (alpha) and resolution (R(s)) of the enantiomers were 1.44 and 5.05, respectively. The calibration plots indicated goo d linearity over a sample concentration ranging from 0.2 to 1.0 mg ml( -1), and the detection limit at 254 nm was 0.05 mg ml(-1) for each car nitine enantiomer. The reproducibility in the analysis of 1 mg ml(-1) of each enantiomer was within 2.0%. The method was applied successfull y to the determination of carnitine enantiomers in pharmaceutical prep arations.