Enantioseparation of (RS)-ibuprofen by closed recycling high-speed counter-current chromatography using hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin as chiral selector

High-speed counter-current chromatography combined with closed recycling elution mode was developed to enantioseparate (RS)-ibuprofen by using hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) as the chiral selector. Key parameters for high-speed counter-current chromatography resolution including the concentration of HP-β-CD, the two-phase solvent system composition, equilibrium temperature, and the pH of aqueous phase were extensively investigated. Under the optimized conditions, the enantiomers of ibuprofen were successfully separated by preparative recycling high-speed counter-current chromatography and the resulting enantiopurity of each enantiomer was over 97.5% as determined by HPLC. Moreover, the recovery for (R,S)-ibuprofen from high-speed counter-current chromatography fractions was achieved in the range of 82–89%.

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