High-performance liquid chromatography utilization of ionic liquids as mobile phase additives for separation and determination of the isomers of amino benzoic acids

Abstract

Abstract For the isomers of amino benzoic acid, including o-, m-, p-amino benzoic acid, the beneficial effects of using the ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIm][BF4]), as mobile phase additives on retention behavior and separation were investigated. Chromatographic separation of the o-, m-, p-amino benzoic acid was performed on a reversed-phase C18 column by ultraviolet detection at 245 nm. The effects of several chromatographic parameters, concentrations and pH values of [BMIm][BF4] solutions, methanol concentration and length of alkyl chain on different ionic liquids, on the separation and determination of the isomers were evaluated. The optimized chromatographic conditions were established using an aqueous 0.5 mmol/L [BMIm][BF4] solution (pH 3.0)/methanol (40:60, v/v) as mobile phase without need of gradient elution, with separation of three amino benzoic acids achieved within four min. The calibration curve showed good linearity over the tested range of 2 mg/L to 120 mg/L for the three isomers with a correlation coefficients of 0.9999. The recoveries of the three amino benzoic acids of spiked components were between 99.8% and 100%. The method has been successfully applied to the determination of p-amino benzoic acid in the pharmaceutical, Bromine Mitag Procaine Injection.