Enantiomeric separation of dansylamino acids by capillary zone electrophoresis with selectively methylated γ-cyclodextrin derivatives

The chiral separation ability of octakis2-, 3- and 6-mono-O-methyl, 2,3-, 2,6- and 3,6-di-O-methyl, and 2,3,6-tri-O-methyl)-γ-cyclodextrins as chiral selectors in capillary zone electrophoresis was investigated using twelve dansylamino acids. Unmodified and 6-monomethylated -γ-cyclodextrins (γ-CDs) exhibited similar high enantioselectivities. γ-CD still exhibited a chiral separation ability after 2-monomethylation or 2,6-dimethylation. 3-Monomethylated -γ-CD could only separate the enantiomers of two dansylamino acids, but further methylation of the hydroxyl groups at the 6-positions of 3-monomethylated γ-CD resulted in the highest chiral separation ability. γ-CD completely lost its high enantioselectivity after methylation of both the 2- and 3-positions, regardless of 6-methylation.