Separation of the Enantiomers of Ibuprofen by a Gas Chromatographic– Mass Spectrometric Method

Separation of the enantiomers of chiral drugs has become an important issue in analytical clinical chemistry in recent years, because of differences in the biological activity and pharmacokinetic properties of drug enantiomers [1,2]. Many drugs contain chirality centers; their enantiomers may have considerably different potency, type of pharmacological activity, pharmacokinetics, and metabolism because most enzymatically catalyzed reactions are stereoselective [3]. Thus, in the preparation and analysis of chiral drugs it is of vital importance to separate their enantiomeric forms. Ibuprofen, R,S-2-(4-isobutylphenyl)propionic acid, a derivative of 2-arylpropionic acids (profens), is a chiral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) which has pharmacological action similar to other drugs in this class, for example fluribiprofen, fenoprofen, or ketoprofen. It is extensively used because of its excellent pharmaceutical properties and because it is better tolerated than aspirin, indomethacin, and pirazolonic derivatives, with analgesic, antipyretic, and platelet antiaggregant properties. It is used