Enantiomeric separation of beta2-agonists on macrocyclic antibiotic chiral stationary phases in high performance liquid chromatography.

The enantiomeric resolution of six β2-agonists including bambuterol, clenbuterol, clenproperol, fumoterol, mabuterol and terbutaline, was studied on three macrocyclic antibiotic chiral stationary phases (CSPs): Chirobiotic V, T and R. By varying the mobile phase compositions for different CSPs, all the six compounds were successfully separated on Chirobiotic V and T CSPs. The thermodynamic parameter variation was calculated. The chiral recognition mechanism was discussed, the ionic interaction was confirmed to be the most dramatic interaction responsible for the chiral recognition. No enantiose-partion for all the β2-agonists was found on Chirobiotic R CSP.