Abstract
Thin layer chromatography for the identification of vitamin D2, 5, 6-trans vitamin D2, isocalciferol, isotachysterol2, tachysterol2, lumisterol2 and ergosterol was investigated, and the following results were obtained.
1. When Kieselgel G as an adsorbent and n-hexane-methyl ethyl ketone (10:2) as a developing solvent were used, the most desirable separation was obtained.
2. However, the separation of vitamin D2 from tachysterol2, 5, 6-trans vitamin D2 from isocalciferol, and isotachysterol2 from lumisterol2 was not possible even under the most desirable condition.
3. These results were identical with those obtained by the alumina column chromatography according to method I described in the previous report (2).
4. There are some difficulties to apply other identification methods after thin layer chromatography, because the application of large quantities of the compounds to the chromatography is generally impossible. Based on these observations, it was concluded that thin layer chromatography might be unsuitable for the identification of vitamin D2 isomers.
