Nanosized silica particles for chiral drug separation

Abstract

The current work addresses the urgent need of novel stationary phases for rapid enantionseparation, and it complements and supports the projects by the PI in the synthesis and application of nanoparticles for achiral and chiral drug separation. The emphasis of this work lies on nanoparticle synthesis and functionalization. This objective has been met. Nanoparticles of various sizes and porosity have been successfully synthesized, C18-functionalized and chiral-functionalized via two different methods using the small equipment support obtained from the current work. Preliminary chromatographic evaluation has also been carried out using ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) and supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC), but will be discussed in other reports. The chiral compounds can be separated but future work needs to be done to fine-tune the nanoparticles properties to optimize separation efficiencies. We intend to vary particles porosity or surface functional group loading in order to optimize the separation resolution. Small equipment procured from this work has helped the specific tailoring of nanoparticles of desired morphology and porosity for the generation of chiral stationary phase. Two publications, 1 accepted and 1 submitted, have been produced from this work. 2 more publications will ensue. The creation of silica nanoparticles for rapid chiral and achiral separation will open up new areas in separation technologies.