Practical purification of hydrophilic fragments and lead/drug-like molecules by reverse phase flash chromatography: tips, tricks and contemporary developments

• Published in: Drug discovery today Vol. 18; no. 3-4; pp. 148 - 154
• Main Authors: Hobbs, Andrew N., Young, Robert J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2013
• Subjects: Chromatography, Reverse-Phase; Drug Discovery; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Pharmaceutical Preparations - chemistry; Pharmaceutical Preparations - isolation & purification
• ISSN: 1359-6446; 1878-5832
• DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2012.09.006

► Effective and greener practical purification of fragments and hydrophilic molecules. ► Quantitative link between physical properties and preparative flash chromatography. ► Addresses needs in an area acknowledged to be tricky to achieve purifications. Practical purifications of hydrophilic fragments and lead/drug-like molecules are reviewed, focussing particularly on the rational use of C-18 reverse phase flash chromatography by exploiting the relationship between retention time and distribution coefficients. Logical process changes have been implemented to suit the particular physical properties of individual molecules, notably, various combinations of dry loading, methanol-buffer gradients, pH control and columns designed for 100% aqueous elution. These have been used to great effect; facilitating effective, predictable and scalable purifications of fragments and lead/drug-like molecules, for which other techniques sometimes fail.