High-performance liquid chromatographic enantioseparation of β-amino acids

Direct and indirect high-performance liquid chromatographic methods were developed for the enantioseparation of β-amino acids (β-substituted-β-alanines). Direct separation involved the application of chiral columns: Crownpak CR(+), Chirobiotic T and Chirobiotic R. Indirect separation was based on precolumn derivatization with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl isothiocyanate or N-α-(2,4-dinitro-5-fluorophenyl)-l-alanineamide (Marfey’s reagent), with subsequent separation on an achiral column. The chromatographic conditions were varied to achieve optimum separation.