CHIRAL RESOLUTION OF CATIONIC DRUGS OF FORENSIC INTEREST BY CAPILLARYELECTROPHORESIS WITH MIXTURES OF NEUTRAL AND ANIONIC CYCLODEXTRINS

Chiral resolution of a number of cationic drugs of forensic interest ( amphetamine, methamphetamine, cathinone, methcathinone, cathine, cocai ne, propoxyphene, and various alpha-hydroxyphenethylamines) is achieve d via capillary electrophoresis (CE) with added cyclodextrins (CDs), i ncluding novel mixtures of neutral and anionic CDs. In the latter stud ies, resolution and migration speed are readily adjusted by varying th e ratio of the two added CDs, as the anionic CD acts as a counter-migr ating complexing reagent. The neutral CD, heptakis(2,6-di-O-methyl)-be ta-CD was found suitable for the analysis of illicit cocaine and khat leaves (Catha edulis Forsk), which contain (-)-alpha-aminopropiophenon e ((-)-cathinone), (+)-norpseudoephedrine (cathine), (-)-norephedrine, and trace levels of the phenylpentenylamines (+)-merucathinone, (+)-m erucathine, and possibly (-)-pseudomerucathine. The use of mixtures of the neutral and the anionic CD (beta-CD sulfobutyl ether IV) was foun d suitable for the analysis of illicit amphetamine, methamphetamine, m ethcathinone, and propoxyphene. A model is presented for the impact of mixtures of neutral and anionic CDs on migration behavior and chiral resolution in CE.