Enantiomeric separation of tapentadol by capillary electrophoresis—Study of chiral selectivity manipulation by various types of cyclodextrins

• Enantiomeric separation of four tapentadol enantiomers by capillary electrophoresis.
• Chiral selectivity manipulation by various types of cyclodextrins.
• Dual system of non-charged cyclodextrins for enantiorecognition of tapentadol enantiomers.

The chiral recognition of the centrally acting analgesic agent tapentadol and its isomers with various cyclodextrins (CDs) was studied by capillary electrophoresis, focusing on the migration order of four stereoisomers. In the case of non-charged hydroxypropylated CDs (2-hydroxypropyl-β-CD, 2-hydroxypropyl-γ-CD) the beta derivative was able to discriminate the S,R- and R,S-isomers in acidic background electrolyte, whereas the gamma allowed the separation of S,S- and R,R-tapentadol, respectively. Dual CD system containing both hosts was used to separate all of four isomers. Negatively charged sulfated-α-CD at 1.0% (w/v) concentration in 100 mM sodium borate buffer (pH 9.5) was capable of separating the isomers with favorable enantiomer migration order and the optimized method was able to determine 0.15% of chiral impurities of tapentadol in the presence of the last migrating clinically important R,R-isomer.

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