Chiral discrimination using a quartz crystal microbalance and comparison with gas chromatographic retention data

Abstract Quartz crystal microbalances (QCMB) have been constructed using 10 MHz AT cut quartz crystals coated with heptakis(2,3,6‐tri‐O‐methyl)‐β‐cyclodextrin, heptakis(6‐O‐methyl‐2,3‐di‐O‐pentyl)‐β‐cyclodextrin, and octakis(6‐O‐methyl‐2,3‐di‐O‐pentyl)‐γ‐cyclodextrin as 50% and 20% (w/w) solutions in OV1701. The reduction in frequency seen on exposure of each coated QCMB to pure enantiomeric forms of α‐ and β‐pinene and cis‐ and trans‐pinane show that statistically significant ( P = 0.05, n = 7) differences are observed between the enantiomeric pairs. The apparent preferential binding shown by the QCMB for enanciomers of α‐ and β‐pinene and cis‐ and trans‐pinane have been compared with the elution order observed on the corresponding gas chromatographic stationary phase. The magnitude of the observed separation factor (calculated as the ratio of the OV1701 normalised frequency shift) is seen to be dependent upon the chiral stationary phase concentration. These results indicate that on‐line determination of enantiomeric excess and concentration of certain monoterpenes is possible at room temperature using QCMB in conjunction with chiral gas chromatographic stationary phases. Chirality 9:225–232, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.