A new liquid chromatographic ligand exchange CSP has been prepared by covalently bonding (S)-N,N-carboxymethyl undecyl leucinol monosodium salt onto silica gel and employed in resolving various alpha-amino acids. The new CSP was quite good in resolving various alpha-amino acids and the resolution results were dependent on the type and content of organic modifier in the mobile phase. From these results, a chiral recognition model using a lipophilic interaction between the tethering alkyl group of the CSP and the substituent at the chiral center of alpha-amino acids was proposed. The liquid chromatographic resolution of alpha-amino acids on the new CSP was also found to be dependent on the Cu(II) concentration in the mobile phase and the column temperature. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.