Two-dimensional supercritical fluid chromatography/mass spectrometry for the enantiomeric analysis and purification of pharmaceutical samples.

A new analytical two-dimensional supercritical fluid chromatography/mass spectrometry system (2D SFC/SFC/MS) has been designed and implemented to enhance the efficiency and quality of analytical support in drug discovery. The system consists of a Berger analytical SFC pump and a modifier pump, a Waters ZQ 2000 mass spectrometer, a set of switching valves, and a custom software program. The system integrates achiral and chiral separations into a single run to perform enantiomeric analysis and separation of a racemic compound from a complex mixture without prior clean up. The achiral chromatography in the first dimension separates the racemate from all other impurities, such as un-reacted starting materials and by-products. Mass-triggered fractionation is used to selectively fractionate the targeted racemic compound based on its molecular weight. The purified racemate from the achiral chromatography in the first dimension is then transferred to the chiral column in the second dimension to conduct the enantiomeric separation and analysis. A control software program, we coined SFC2D, was developed and integrated with MassLynx to retrieve acquisition status, current sample information, and real time mass spectrometric data as they are acquired. The SFC2D program also monitors the target ion signal to carry out mass-triggered fractionation by switching the valve to fractionate the desired peak. The 2D SFC/SFC/MS system uses one CO(2) pump and one modifier pump for both first and second dimension chromatographic separations using either gradient or isocratic elution. Similarly, a preparative 2D SFC/SFC/MS system has been constructed by modifying an existing Waters preparative LC/MS system. All components except the back pressure regulator are from the original LC/MS system. Applications of the 2D SFC/SFC/MS methods to the separation and the analysis of racemic pharmaceutical samples in complex mixtures demonstrated that an achiral separation (in first dimension) and a chiral separation (in second dimension) can be successfully combined into a single, streamlined process both in analytical and preparative scale.

Zeng L ，Xu R ，Zhang Y ，Kassel DB ... -  《-》

Parallel supercritical fluid chromatography/mass spectrometry system for high-throughput enantioselective optimization and separation.

Zeng L ，Xu R ，Laskar DB ，Kassel DB ... -  《JOURNAL OF CHROMATOGRAPHY A》

Optimization of a two-dimensional liquid chromatography-supercritical fluid chromatography-mass spectrometry (2D-LC-SFS-MS) system to assess "in-vivo" inter-conversion of chiral drug molecules.

Enantioselective analysis is an essential requirement during the pharmaceutical development of chiral drug molecules. In pre-clinical and clinical studies, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandates the assessment of "in vivo" inter-conversion of chiral drugs to determine their physiological effects. In-vivo analysis of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and its potential metabolites could be quite challenging due to their low abundance (ng/mL levels) and matrix interferences. Therefore, highly selective and sensitive analytical techniques are required to separate the API and its metabolites from the matrix components and one another. Additionally, for chiral APIs, further analytical separation is required to resolve the API and its potential metabolites from their corresponding enantiomers. In this work, we demonstrate the optimization of our previously designed two-dimensional liquid chromatography-supercritical fluid chromatography-mass spectrometry (2D-LC-SFC -MS) system to achieve 10 ng/mL detection limit [1]. The first LC dimension, used as a desalting step, could efficiently separate the API from its potential metabolites and matrix components. The API and its metabolites were then trapped/focused on small trapping columns and transferred onto the second SFC dimension for chiral separation. Detection can be achieved by ultra-violet (UV) or MS detection. Different system parameters such as column dimensions, transfer volumes, trapping column stationary phase, system tubing internal diameter (i.d.), and detection techniques, were optimized to enhance the sensitivity of the 2D-LC-SFC-MS system. The limit of detection was determined to be 10 ng/mL. An application is described where a mouse hepatocyte treated sample was analyzed using the optimized 2D-LC-SFC-MS system with successful assessment of the ratio of API to its metabolite (1D-LC), as well as the corresponding enantiomeric excess values (% e.e.) of each (2D-SFC).

Goel M ，Larson E ，Venkatramani CJ ，Al-Sayah MA ... -  《-》

Preparative two-dimensional liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry for the purification of complex pharmaceutical samples.

A new preparative two-dimensional liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry system (2D LC-LC/MS) has been designed and implemented to enhance capability and resolving power for the separation and purification of pharmaceutical samples. The system was constructed by modifications of a conventional preparative LC/MS instrument with the addition of a set of switching valves and a sample loop, as well as interfacing a custom software program with MassLynx. The system integrates two chromatographic separations from the first and second dimensions into a single automated run to perform the purification of a target compound from a complex mixture without intermediate steps of sample preparation. The chromatography in the first dimension, operated in the heart-cutting mode, separates the target compound from the impurities by mass-triggered fractionation based on its molecular weight. This purified fraction from the first dimension is stored in the sample loop, and then gets transferred to the second column by using at-column dilution. A control software program, coined Prep 2D LCMS, was designed to integrate with MassLynx to retrieve data acquisition status. All of the chromatographic hardware components used in this preparative 2D LC-LC/MS system are from the original open access preparative LC/MS system, which has high level of robustness and affords easy and user-friendly operation. The new system is very versatile and capable of collecting multiple fractions with different masses under various purification modes as configured in the methods, such as conventional one-dimensional (1D) purification and/or 2D purification. This new preparative 2D LC-LC/MS system is therefore the ideal tool for medicinal chemistry lab in drug discovery environment.

Zhang Y ，Zeng L ，Pham C ，Xu R ... -  《-》

Simultaneous achiral-chiral analysis of pharmaceutical compounds using two-dimensional reversed phase liquid chromatography-supercritical fluid chromatography.

A new interface was designed to enable the coupling of reversed phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) and supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC). This online two-dimensional chromatographic system utilizing RPLC in the first dimension and SFC in the second was developed to achieve simultaneous achiral and chiral analysis of pharmaceutical compounds. The interface consists of an eight-port, dual-position switching valve with small volume C-18 trapping columns. The peaks of interest eluting from the first RPLC dimension column were effectively focused as sharp concentration pulses on small volume C-18 trapping column/s and then injected onto the second dimension SFC column. The first dimension RPLC separation provides the achiral purity result, and the second dimension SFC separation provides the chiral purity result (enantiomeric excess). The results are quantitative enabling simultaneous achiral, chiral analysis of compounds. The interface design and proof of concept demonstration are presented. Additionally, comparative studies to conventional SFC and case studies of the applications of 2D LC-SFC in pharmaceutical analysis is presented.

Venkatramani CJ ，Al-Sayah M ，Li G ，Goel M ，Girotti J ，Zang L ，Wigman L ，Yehl P ，Chetwyn N ... -  《-》