NEAR-INFRARED ANALYSIS

A method is described that utilizes beta-cyclodextrin and silica gel a s shift reagents to distinguish between enantiomers by means of near-i nfrared transmission spectroscopy. The premise is that the spectrum of the (+)-enantiomer bound to the shift reagent will be different from that of the (-)-enantiomer bound to the same reagent. With the use of principal component analysis, the difference between the enantiomers c an be distinguished. The resulting method is fast, simple, and of pote ntial application in pharmaceutical process control.