Direct distinction of ibuprofen and flurbiprofen enantiomers by ion mobility mass spectrometry of their ternary complexes with metal cations and cyclodextrins in the gas phase

Enantiomeric drugs are widely used and play important roles in pharmaceuticals. Ion mobility spectrometry coupled with mass spectrometry technology provides a unique method for distinguishing the enantiomeric drugs, enantiomeric identification, and quantitation in the gas phase. In this study, enantiomeric molecules of ibuprofen and flurbiprofen were clearly recognized by forming host–guest complex ions using trapped ion mobility time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Ternary complex ions can be produced easily by electrospray ionization of the mixed solutions of ibuprofen, cyclodextrins, and CaCl 2 , LiCl, or NaCl, as well as flurbiprofen, cyclodextrins, and CaCl 2 . The relative contents of different chiral ibuprofens in a mixed solution were also quantitatively measured. This new method is a simple, effective, and a convenient enantioselective analysis method.