Abstract
Achieving the adsorptive separation and chromatographic separation of industrially the important chemicals toluene and methylcyclohexane using the same material is a highly desirable goal. We have successfully accomplished this using a fluorinated macrocycle tetrafluoroterphen[3]arene (4FTP3), which was synthesized and used for gas chromatographic separation in our previous work. The macrocycle 4FTP3 permitted the adsorptive separation of toluene from a toluene/methylcyclohexane mixture (1:1, v/v) with a purity of 99.3% in a single adsorption cycle. Additionally, the use of 4FTP3 as a gas chromatographic stationary phase permitted the high-resolution separation of a toluene/methylcyclohexane mixture, with a retention capacity decreasing in the order of: toluene>methylcyclohexane. Single-crystal structural analysis revealed that the C-H···F interactions between 4FTP3 and toluene resulted in an enhanced binding affinity, association enthalpy, and longer retention time for toluene. This macrocycle is of particular interest for use as a separation material due to its simultaneous adsorptive separation and gas chromatographic separation of toluene/methylcyclohexane. The present fluorinated macrocycle may therefore have roles to play in both analytical science and the chemical industry.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call