Determination of the enantiomeric purity of nucleoside analogs related to d4T and acyclovir, new potential antiviral agents, using liquid chromatography on cellulose chiral stationary phases

We reported a method of determination of enantiomeric purity of the new potential antiviral agents by direct analytical HPLC. Those agents are nucleoside analogs, having one chiral center. They are synthesized as a single enantiomer (R or S) by an asymmetric pathway. The chiral stationary phases chosen are silica-based cellulose tris-3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate (Chiralcel OD-H), or tris-methylbenzoate (Chiralcel OJ). Resolution was achieved using normal-phase chromatography with a mobile phase consisting of n-hexane–alcohol (ethanol or 2-propanol) in various percentages. Furthermore the effects of structural features on retention, selectivity and resolution, as well as on the elution order were thoroughly studied. Differences in the lipophilicity of the compounds were also examined.