Use of atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry in enantioselective liquid chromatography

Recent advances in mass spectrometry have rendered it an attractive and ver satile tool in industrial and academic research laboratories. As a part of this rapid growth, a considerable body of literature has been devoted to th e application of mass spectrometry in studies involving enantioselectivity, molecular recognition, and supramolecular chemistry. In concert with separ ation techniques such as capillary electrophoresis and liquid chromatograph y, mass spectrometry allows rapid characterization of a large array of mole cules in complex mixtures. A majority of these findings have been made poss ible by the introduction of 'soft-ionization' techniques such as electrospr ay ionization interface. Other techniques such as atmospheric pressure chem ical ionization mass spectrometry have been widely used as a rugged interfa ce for quantitative liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Herein, we pre sent a brief overview of the above techniques accompanied with several exam ples of enantioselective capillary electrophoresis- and liquid chromatograp hy-mass spectrometry in drug discovery and develop ment. Although the empha sis of this article is on quantitative enantiomeric chromatography-mass spe ctrometry, we envisage that similar strategies are adaptable in qualitative studies. Chirality 13.63-74, 2001. similar strategies are adaptable in qua litative studies. Chirality 13.63-74, 2001. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss.