Gas-chromatographic separation of enantiomers of 2-chlorobutane and 2-bromobutane on a cyanuric acid-modified Carboblack C adsorbent

Abstract

The enantiomers of 2-chlorobutane and 2-bromobutane were separated by gas chromatography on a Carboblack C adsorbent modified by 10% cyanuric acid. Upon thorough mechanical stirring of a solution, cyanuric acid was shown to form chiral supramolecular structures on the surface of adsorbent particles analogously to the Kondepudi formation of chiral crystals of achiral molecules. The enantiomers of 2-bromobutane and 2-chlorobutane were found to undergo, respectively, complete and partial separation on the cyanuric acid-modified Carboblack C adsorbent. The separation of enantiomers is due to a high enantioselectivity of the modified adsorbent. The analysis of thermodynamic functions of adsorption showed that the differences in specific retention volumes of enantiomers are caused by the fact that one of enantiomers is adsorbed predominantly within the cavity of the supramolecular structure of cyanuric acid and another one is adsorbed on its surface. Separation on the proposed chiral stationary phase is characterized by the relative standard deviation of retention volumes no more than 7%.