Separation of diastereomers, enantiomers and geometrical isomers of selected pharmaceuticals

{dollar}beta{dollar}-lactam antibiotics possess different physico-chemical properties so that a variety of stationary phases and mobile phases have been used to resolve epimers and diastereomers of these drugs. An objective of this research project was to investigate polymeric stationary phases in order to determine a polymer phase with sufficient selectivity for resolving {dollar}beta{dollar}-lactam antibiotic epimers.; HPLC stereospecific methods were developed for resolution of the chiral drugs praziquantel, ondansetron and pentazocine. A column switching method was developed that combined achiral and chiral separations for the resolution of four geometrical isomers with subsequent resolution of the EE isomer enantiomers of a PAF antagonist drug.; Chapter I presents the separation of {dollar}beta{dollar}-lactam antibiotic epimers and diastereomers on three polymeric stationary phases. The polystyrene divinylbenzene copolymer stationary phase provided the optimum selectivity with minor changes in the mobile phase.; Chapter II presents an HPLC chiral method for the analysis of the praziquantel enantiomers in human serum. A Chiralcel OD column was used to separate the enantiomers and solid phase extraction (SPE) was employed for extraction of the enantiomers and internal standard from serum.; Chapter III presents an HPLC chiral method for the analysis of ondansetron enantiomers in human serum. The method uses a Chiralcel OD column for enantiomer resolution and SPE for extraction of the enantiomers and internal standard from serum.; Chapter IV presents an HPLC chiral method for the analysis of pentazocine enantiomers in human serum. The method uses an ovomucoid protein CSP for enantiomer resolution and liquid liquid extraction to extract enantiomers and internal standard from serum.; Chapter V describes an HPLC method that uses column switching that allows for separation of geometrical isomers and the enantiomers of the EE isomer. The enantiomers of this platelet activating factor antagonist drug are separated using a CSP of Chiralcel OF after the geometrical isomers were separated using an aminopropyl column with an attached silica precolumn.