Reversed-Phase High Performance and Liquid Chromatographic Separation of the Enantiomers of Terbutaline by Derivatization with 2,3,4-Tetra-o-acetyl-\beta-glucopyranosyl Isothiocyanate

The enantiomers of the bronchodilator terbutaline were separated by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatograhy after derivatization with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-\beta-D-glucopyranosyl isothiocyanate(GITC) reagent. The derivatization proceeded quantitatively within 1 h at room temperature. The corresponding diastereomeric thiourea derivatives were well resolved on an ODS column with acetonitrile-acetate buffer as a mobile phase. Elution orders of the diastereomers were confirmed by derivatization of R-(-)-terbutaline and S-(+)-terbutaline which were collected by semi-preparative chiral HPLC using Sumichiral OA-4700 column. The native fluorescence of terbutaline was quenched by derivatization with GITC. The detection limit was 25ng when monitored at UV 278 nm.