Structurally related phenyl alcohols were separated by capillary electrophoresis and liquid chromatography. A statistical experimental design was used in order to optimize the main electrophoretic parameters such as pH, concentration of selector and separation voltage in capillary electrophoresis (CE). Response surfaces were derived using the mathematical model and used for a selection of the optimal experimental conditions. Concentration of the chiral selector, the distance between the aromatic group and asymmetric center of the analytes, were identified as the factors influencing the complexation, selectivity and resolution. Experiments were also performed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the results of CE and HPLC were compared.