Resolution of salbutamol enantiomers in human urine by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography after derivatization with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyl isothiocyanate.

A stereospecific HPLC method has been developed for the resolution of the enantiomers of salbutamol in human urine. After solid-phase extraction and derivatization with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyl isothiocyanate, the diastereomeric derivatives were resolved (Rs = 1. 83) on 5 microns octadecylsilan column using 35% acetonitrile in 0.05 M ammonium acetate buffer (pH = 6) as a mobile phase with electrochemical detection. The diastereomeric derivatives were formed within 30 min. The detection limit of each enantiomer was 20 ng/ml (S/N = 3).