title: Liquid chromatographic analysis of the enantiomeric impurities in various (+)-pseudoephedrine samples.
abstract: An HPLC method has been developed for the separation of four stereoisomers of ephedrine using precolumn derivatization with S(+)-1-(1-naphthyl)-ethyl isocyanate. The formed derivatives are subsequently separated on a normal-phase column and are detected at a UV wavelength of 220 nm. This method was used to quantitate the differences in the enantiomeric impurity of various samples of (+)-pseudoephedrine. The reported method can differentiate between samples of (+)-pseudoephedrine which differ in their enantiomeric impurity by as little as 0.02%. Possible racemization of (+)-pseudoephedrine in aqueous solutions was also studied. Samples of (+)-pseudoephedrine from various suppliers and, indeed, different lots from the same supplier, differed significantly in their degree of enantiomeric impurity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Duddu
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mehvar
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Grant
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004340:Drug Contamination; D004809:Ephedrine / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D004809:Ephedrine