Liquid crystal quantitative analysis method for optically active compounds
First Claim
1. Method for quantitatively analyzing a sample, for a specific optically active compound contained therein, by first determining the relationship between line spacing of differentially refracted light and concentration of said optically active compound in a nematic liquid crystalline material oriented in a first standardized cell consisting of a thin layer of said liquid crystalline material disposed between transparent cell face members, and subsequently injecting a preselected amount of said sample into the nematic liquid crystalline layer of a second standardized cell identical with said first cell, observing the line spacing of refracted light in said second cell and comparing it to the relationship determined in said first cell and, on the basis of said comparison, determining the quantity of said optically active compound in said second cell.
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Abstract
Using a standardized cell containing a thin layer of an aligned nematic liquid crystalline material, a relationship is determined between concentration of an optically active solute material in the liquid crystal layer and line spacing in a pattern produced by differential light refraction, upon the injection of different amounts of the optically active compound. Subsequently, quantitative analysis of a sample containing the optically active compound is accomplished by injecting a known amount of the sample into a second identical standardized cell, observing the line spacing of refracted light in the second cell and comparing it to the relationship determined in the first cell. Optically active compounds analyzable in this manner include steroids and cholesteryl esters. A preferred nematic liquid crystalline material is n-p-methoxybenzylidene-p-n-butylaniline. A specific system described consists of cholesteryl-2-methyl valerate in homeotropically aligned n-p-methoxybenzylidene-p-n butylaniline with a layer thickness in the cell of 12.7 microns.
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31 Claims
- 1. Method for quantitatively analyzing a sample, for a specific optically active compound contained therein, by first determining the relationship between line spacing of differentially refracted light and concentration of said optically active compound in a nematic liquid crystalline material oriented in a first standardized cell consisting of a thin layer of said liquid crystalline material disposed between transparent cell face members, and subsequently injecting a preselected amount of said sample into the nematic liquid crystalline layer of a second standardized cell identical with said first cell, observing the line spacing of refracted light in said second cell and comparing it to the relationship determined in said first cell and, on the basis of said comparison, determining the quantity of said optically active compound in said second cell.
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