Enantiomeric separation of propranolol and selected metabolites by using capillary electrophoresis with hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin as chiral selector.

A capillary electrophoresis (CE) investigation of the enantiomeric separation of propranolol and some of its metabolites using CE was undertaken. Resolution of the enantiomers was achieved using hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD) as the chiral selector. Parameters found to influence separation include cyclodextrin concentration, potential, pH and organic solvent/additive. It was observed that 17 mM HP-beta-CD gave optimum separation over the concentration range used in this study, however different racemates appear to have best resolution at different CD concentration. The potential does not have a great effect on enantiomer resolution, but appears to cause relative metabolite migration times to alter such that separation is affected. Carrier pH affects both migration time, and enantiomer resolution and metabolite separation. Above pH 5 inferior results are obtained. This is the first report of enantiomeric resolution of propranolol metabolites using CE.