Simultaneous determination of diastereoisomeric and enantiomeric impurities in SSS-octahydroindole-2-carboxylic acid by chiral high-performance liquid chromatography with pre-column derivatization.

SSS-Octahydroindole-2-carboxylic acid (SSS-Oic) is a key intermediate used in the synthesis of some angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. The separation of diastereoisomers and enantiomers of Oic was performed using a pre-column derivatization chiral HPLC method. Phenyl isothiocyanate (PITC) was used as the derivatization reagent. Three PITC derivatives of Oic stereoisomers were separated on an Ultron ES-OVM chiral column (150 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 microm). Derivatization conditions such as reaction temperature, reaction time and derivatization reagent concentration were investigated. The chromatographic conditions for separation of the three PITC-Oic derivatives were optimized. The method was successfully applied in the diastereoisomeric and enantiomeric purity test of SSS-Oic.