Abstract
•Effective and inexpensive enantiomeric resolution of quinolones.•Simulation studies for chiral recognition mechanism.•Economic method as separation is within 2.3 min (very fast).•Chiral HLC method may be used to analyses four enantiomers of quinolones.
A new HPLC method was developed for the enantio-separation and chiral recognition mechanism of quinolones (lomefloxacine, ofloxacine, primaquine and quinacrine) on Vancomycin CSP. The column used was Chirabiotic V column (150 × 4.6 mm, 5.0 μm) with two mobile phases i.e. (I) MeOH:ACN:H2O:TEA (50:30:20:0.1%) and (II) MeOH:ACN: H2O:TEA (70:10:20:0.1%) at 1.0 mL/minute flow rate with various UV detection. The values of retention, separation and resolution factors in a solvent system I were ranged from 2.20 to 5.05, 1.70 to 1.96 and 1.75 to 2.20 while these values were 1.93 to 6.85, 1.62 & 2.01 and 2.30 & 2.40 in solvent system II. The limits of detection and quantification were ranged from 8.0 to 10.5 µg and 24.4 to 33.5 µg. The resolution was controlled mainly by π-π interactions along with other forces like hydrogen bonding, van der Waal’s forces, steric effects, etc. The determination of the chiral recognition mechanism may be beneficial to separate other racemates successfully. The method is fast precise and efficient and may be utilized to analyze enantiomers of the reported quinolones.