METHODS FOR THE DETERMINATION OF THE ENANTIOMERIC PURITY OF THE C3-SYNTHONS GLYCIDOL (2,3-EPOXY-1-PROPANOL) AND SOLKETAL [2,2-DIMETYL-4-(HYDROXYMETHYL)-1,3-DIOXOLANE]

Accurate and reliable methods are presented for the determination of enantiomeric excess values of glycidol (2,3-epoxy-1-propanol), glycidyl esters, solketal [2,2-dimethyl-4-(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-dioxolane], homologous 1,3-dioxolane alcohols and substituted primary propanols in biological samples. One method consists of derivatization of the samples with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-beta-glucopyranosyl isothiocyanate, followed by separation of the resulting diastereomers on a non-chiral reversed-phase (C18) HPLC column. The second method uses direct injection of (aqueous) samples on to capillary GC columns coated with chiral stationary phases (2,3,6-tri-0-methyl-beta- or a 2,3,6-tri-0-trifluoroacetyl-gamma-cyclodextrin). The advantages and disadvantages of both methods are discussed.