Reversed-phase liquid chromatography for the separation of chloropromazine, imipramine and some of their metabolites.

Reversed-phase liquid chromatography on a C18 bonded silica with water-alcohol mixtures containing decylamine as the mobile phase was investigated for its applicability to the separation of chlorpromazine, imipramine and their metabolites. The addition of decylamine to the mobile phase was found to be necessary in order to obtain symmetrical peaks. The influence of the decylamine and ethanol concentrations and of the pH of the mobile phase was investigated and these parameters were found to be useful for the adjustment of the retention. The phase system developed was found to be suitable for the required separation. The phase system was applied to the analysis of imipramine and its metabolites, desmethylimipramine and didesmethylimipramine, and desmethylchlorpromazine in human plasma.