SPARTEINE AS MOBILE-PHASE MODIFIER IN THE CHIRAL SEPARATION OF HYDROPHOBIC BASIC DRUGS ON AN ALPHA(1)-ACID GLYCOPROTEIN COLUMN

The effect of the chiral diamine sparteine as a cationic mobile phase modifier on the retention and enantioseparation of five hydrophobic ba sic drugs on an alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein column was studied. Spartei ne produced good results over the whole range of its concentration (1- 15 mM) in the phosphate buffer mobile phase at pH 6.0 for the selected drugs (alprenolol, propranolol, promethazine, chlorpheniramine and di sopyramide). When used as a sole modifier, sparteine greatly reduced r etention without significant interference in the enantioseparation of the compounds. Sparteine was also applied in combination with 2.5% of the neutral modifier 2-propanol with good results as well. This study shows sparteine's potential both as a substitute for neutral mobile ph ase modifier and as an auxiliary in reducing amounts of neutral modifi er. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.