Study of Chiral Ionic Liquid as Stationary Phases for GC

Abstract

Due to the synthetic flexibility and special enantioselectivity, chiral ionic liquids (CILs) have heightened interest and an increasing number of CILs has been designed and utilized. In this work, CIL named l-1-butyl-3-(2-propionic-1-ether) imidazolium bromide ([BAlaIM]Br) derived from natural amino acids was synthesized, with chiral center at cation moiety. Chiral stationary phases for gas chromatography were then prepared by mixing the CIL with polymeric ionic liquid ([PSOMIM][NTf2], homemade) at different ratios (4:1, 2:1, and 1:1). The column efficiency was measured to be about 3,200 plates m−1 (8 m × 0.25 mm i.d.) when the content of [BAlaIM]Br was 50 % (mass percent) in the mixed stationary phase. All columns were coated via the static coating method using 0.30 % (w/v) of stationary phases dissolved in methanol. The results showed that the CIL contributed to the selectivity of stationary phase toward positional isomers dichlorobenzenes, methylnaphthalenes and pinenes, etc. Meanwhile, [BAlaIM]Br showed better selectivity for enantiomers such as carvones, citronellals, limonenes and camphors. The interactions between chiral selector and enantiomers were also discussed.