Chiral column chromatography is a variant of column chromatography that is employed for the separation of chiral compounds, i.e. enantiomers, in mixtures such as racemates or related compounds. The chiral stationary phase (CSP) is made of a support, usually silica based, on which a chiral reagent or a macromolecule with numerous chiral centers is bonded or immobilized.
The chiral stationary phase can be prepared by attaching a chiral compound to the surface of an achiral support such as silica gel. For example, one class of the most commonly used chiral stationary phases both in liquid chromatography and supercritical fluid chromatography is based on oligosaccharides such as Amylose Cellulose or Cyclodextrin (in particular with β-cyclodextrin, a seven sugar ring molecule) immobilized on silica gel.
The principle can be also applied to the fabrication of Monolithic HPLC columns or Gas Chromatography columns. or Supercritical Fluid Chromatography columns.