8.17 Chromatographic separations and analysis: chiral gas chromatography

Gas chromatography (GC) is a particularly useful technique for the separation of a mixture of compounds. This chapter focuses on GC, with a particular emphasis on the separation of mixtures of optical isomers, either directly or after derivatization with nonchiral reagents. The three main traditional stationary phase types are introduced and the discussion thereafter moves to new developments in the field such as mixed phases, ionic liquids, and cyclofructans. The technique has been used in fairly novel situations including multidimensional GC and interfaced with nuclear magnetic resonance to aid structural elucidation. Additionally, the use of chiral GC for preparative separations and miniaturization applications is reviewed. A wide variety of scientific disciplines use this technique and coverage here includes applications in environmental, investigative, and space science, and molecule types including essential oils, pheromones, amino acids, and drugs.