Chiral separation of glycidol enantiomers by normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry

A chiral separation method for glycidol enantiomers determination by normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry was developed. Two chiral stationary phases, amylose tris–(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) (Chiralpak AD-H) and (S)-indoline-2-carboxylic acid and (R)-1-(α-naphthyl) ethylamine (SUMICHIRAL OA-4900) have been investigated. The effects of the mobile phase composition, elution program and column temperature were also studied. Under the best conditions: Chiralpak AD-H column, mobile phase composition n-hexane:ethanol (70:30, v/v), flow rate of 0.8 mL/min and 40 °C column temperature, a good resolution (Rs = 1.6) for both enantiomers has been achieved with an analysis time of 16 min. The method was found to be linear in the range from 100 to 500 ppm for both glycidol enantiomers with a good determination coefficient (r2 higher than 0.99) and good precision. Limits of detection of 31 and 50 ppm for (R)-(+)-glycidol and (S)-(−)-glycidol, respectively, were obtained. The method was applied to the determination of the enantiomeric excess and yield obtained in a asymmetric epoxidation process of allyl alcohol with a chiral titanium–tartrate complex as catalyst.