Three compounds having 1,2-diol structure (1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol, 3-phenoxy-1,2-propanediol, and 3-benzyloxy-1,2-propanediol) were enantioseparated by ligand exchange MEKC using (5S)-pinanediol (SPD) as a chiral selector and borate anion as a central ion together with SIDS. When (S)-1,2-propanediol, (S)-1,2,4-butanetriol, or (S)3-tert-butylamino-1,2-propanediol were used as the chiral ligand instead of SPD, these three compounds were not enantioseparated. When borate was replaced with 2-aminoethane-1-sulfonate or N-cyclohexyl-3-aminopropanesulfonate, no chiral separation was achieved. Therefore, the hydrophobic interaction between the chiral selector and the chiral analytes within the transient diastereomeric complex may play an important role in the enantioseparation achieved by the proposed method.