SEPARATION OF ENANTIOMERS OF N-ACETYLCYSTEINE BY CAPILLARY ELECTROPHORESIS AFTER DERIVATIZATION BY O-PHTHALDIALDEHYDE

The optical purity of N-acetyl-L-cysteine was tested by capillary elec trophoresis. The D-enantiomer can be found down to a ratio of 0.4:99.6 within 4 min without the use of the D-form or the racemate as a stand ard. The efficiency was optimized during method development up to a th eoretical plate number, N, of several hundred thousand. The migration order and the separation mechanism was explained. The assumed structur e of the formed isoindole xy-2-methylpropyl)isoindole-1-yl]-N-acetylcy steine diastereomers was confirmed and its stability was examined.