Chiral Stationary Phases

Chiral stationary phases are specialized materials used in chromatography to separate molecules that are mirror images of each other, known as enantiomers. These phases contain chiral (handedness) components that differentially interact with each enantiomer, allowing their separation. This is important in fields like pharmaceuticals, where one enantiomer can be active or safe, while the other is not. Essentially, chiral stationary phases act like a selective filter that recognizes and distinguishes between mirror-image molecules, enabling precise analysis and purification of complex chiral mixtures.