Tanaka Test Research Articles

Preparation and evaluation of a pyridine sulfonate betaine-based zwitterionic stationary phase for hydrophilic interaction chromatography

A zwitterionic stationary phase comprising pyridinium cations and sulfonate anions was successfully developed through thiol-ene click chemistry. Using seven polar small molecules as probes, the zwitterionic stationary phase showed high separation selectivity and excellent column efficiency (35,200–54,800 plates/m) compared with two commercial columns. The influence of water proportion, salt concentration, and pH in the mobile phase, and column temperature, on the retention of six polar compounds was examined. The retention mechanism was explored by three hydrophilic retention models, Tanaka test and linear solvation energy relationship analysis. For the analysis of sample dairy products (milk powder, milk, and yogurt), the stationary phase was operated in hydrophilic interaction chromatography mode without the addition of buffer salts, facilitating rapid and efficient detection and quantification of melamine. The LOD and LOQ are 0.04 mg⋅g−1 and 0.13 mg⋅g−1, respectively, and the recovery rate is 90.3 − 102.8 %. The zwitterionic stationary phase has the advantages of simple preparation, good method reproducibility, good selectivity and high precision.

Adjustable chromatographic performance of silica-based mixed-mode stationary phase through the control of co-grafting amounts of imidazole and C18 chain

In this paper, three imidazole- and C18- bifunctional silica stationary phases (Sil-Im-C18) were prepared by adjusting introduction interval of octadecyltrichlorosilane (ODS) and 3-imidazol-1-ylpropyl(trimethoxy)silane (TMPImS), which can be used for reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) and ion exchange chromatography (IEC) with adjustable performance. The successful preparation of Sil-Im-C18 were confirmed by the characterizations of elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and contact angle (CA). Chromatographic performance of Sil-Im-C18 were evaluated by the separation of Tanaka test mixture, alkylbenzenes, linear PAHs and a set of analytes with different properties (uracil, phenol, 1,2-dinitrobenzene and naphthalene), and compared with commonly used C18 column. It was found that the chromatographic performance of Sil-Im-C18 changed significantly with the difference in bonding amount of imidazole and C18. Sil-Im-C18 demonstrated the excellent separation performance towards polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phenylesters, phenylamines, phenols and inorganic anions, and notably, nucleobases and nucleosides can be separated using pure water as mobile phases. The van Deemter plot showed that the column efficiency of Sil-Im-C18-3 was 64,933 plate·m−1 for naphthalene, indicated that Sil-Im-C18 was reasonably chromatographic columns. The RSD values of retention time were 0.22 %-0.61 % for 10 needles alkylbenzenes injected continuously at 50 °C to investigate thermal stability and repeatability, all the fluctuations of k of naphthalene were less than 2.3 % for Sil-Im-C18-1 during flushing 24 h with the mobile phase at different pH values (pH = 3 and 8), the retention time of alkylbenzenes were almost same for Sil-Im-C18-1 at different time, the RSD values of retention time of alkylbenzenes were 0.45 %-2.28 % for two batches Sil-Im-C18-1, revealing the excellent repeatability, thermal stability, durability and reproducibility of Sil-Im-C18, and implying a commercial prospect.

COMPARISON OF THE PROPERTIES OF 3-AMINOPROPYL SILICA WITH DIFFERENT NITROGEN CONTENT IN HILIC MODE

A comparison of 4 amino phases representing 3-aminopropyl silica batches with different amount of grafted functional groups was made. To evaluate the chromatographic properties of the adsorbents, the Tanaka test for hydrophilic stationary phases was used, and the retention of polar substances of various classes in HILIC mode was also studied. It is shown that even small changes in nitrogen content between different batches of 3-aminopropyl silica have a significant effect on the retention of polar analytes. Hydrophilicity of a substrate was shown to have the greatest effect on its chromatographic behavior, and its evaluation using the Tanaka test is the basis for a batch selection either for separation of particular classes of polar substances or for further modification aiming at obtaining new phases.

Resins Based on Polystyrene–Divinylbenzene with Attached Hydrophilized Polyethyleneimine for Ion and Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography

To expand the field of application of anion exchangers based on a copolymer of styrene and divinylbenzene with attached polyethyleneimine, quaternized with glycidol, the following conditions for their synthesis were varied: the amount of the added glycidol, temperature, and duration of synthesis. The influence of these factors on the capacity, selectivity, and efficiency of the resins in the mode of suppressed ion chromatography was studied; in addition, the stationary phases were studied in the mode of hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography using the Tanaka test. It was shown that the synthesis conditions under study ensure the control of the capacity and selectivity of anion exchangers, while their hydrophilicity changes insignificantly. The behavior of oxoanions on covalently attached resins in the ion chromatography mode was studied for the first time, and the applicability of phases with quaternized polyethyleneimine in the hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography mode to the separation of sugars, amino acids, water-soluble vitamins, nucleosides, and nitrogenous bases was demonstrated for the first time.

Novel Mixed-Mode Adsorbents for HPLC Based on Different Substrates Modified with Eremomycin

New adsorbents based on silica and polystyrene–divinylbenzene (PS–DVB) for hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) with eremomycin in functional layers were obtained. The chromatographic properties of the new adsorbents were assessed using the Tanaka test for hydrophilic stationary phases and by studying the retention of substances of various classes in HILIC, chiral, and reversed-phase chromatography modes. It was shown that the use of eremomycin to create functional layers leads to an increase in the hydrophilicity of the adsorbents on different types of substrates and ensures the shielding of their charge. Eleven nitrogenous bases, nucleosides with an efficiency of up to 25 000 tp/m, or seven vitamins with an efficiency of up to 40 000 tp/m can be separated on a modified sorbent based on aminopropyl silica, and three different HPLC modes can be implemented on the sorbent with eremomycin based on PS–DVB.

Design of β-Alanine-Derived Novel C18 Stationary Phase Containing Embedded Urea and Amide Groups for the Separation of Versatile Analytes.

Novel stationary phases have been emerging recently. A β-alanine-derived embedded urea and amide group-containing C18 phase (Sil-Ala-C18) was prepared for the first time. The media were packed into a 150 × 2.1 mm HPLC column, and the newly designed column was evaluated with the Tanaka and Neue test protocols in reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) separation mode. Moreover, it was characterized by the Tanaka test protocol in hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) separation mode. The new phase was characterized by elemental analysis, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and solid-state 13C cross-polarization magic angle spinning (CP/MAS) NMR spectroscopy at variable temperatures. The chromatographic evaluation involved very good separation of nonpolar shape-constrained isomers, polar and basic compounds in RPLC, and highly polar compounds in HILIC compared to the commercial reference columns. The Sil-Ala-C18 phase was able to separate the challenging β- and γ-isomers of tocopherol. The phase was also successfully applied for the separation of the isomers of tocopherol (vitamin E) and capsaicinoids from real samples of chili peppers (Capsicum spp.) in RPLC and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in HILIC.

Separation of Panax notoginseng saponins on modified rosin ester-bonded silica stationary phase and its mechanism

A column prepared using a unique three-membered phenanthrene skeleton of rosin has complementary selectivity to a C18 column for some separation tasks. In this study, propylene pimaric acid (16-hydroxyethyl acrylate-34-n-butyl) ester (BRB) and propylene pimaric acid (16-hydroxyethyl acrylate-34-dodecyl) ester (BRLA) were used as functional ligands to prepare two novel stationary phases, namely BRB@SiO2 and BRLA@SiO2, through a “thiol-ene” click chemistry reaction. The characterization results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements, and contact angle tests showed that the BRB@SiO2 and BRLA@SiO2 stationary phases were successfully prepared. In addition, the performance of the columns was evaluated using the Tanaka test and hydrophobic subtraction model, which showed that the stationary phases exhibited typical reversed-phase chromatography performance and good hydrophobicity, hydrophobic selectivity, and steric selectivity. The changes in the retention of Panax notoginseng saponins on a column under different chromatographic conditions (acetonitrile content, flow rate, and column temperature) were investigated. The separation effect of BRB@SiO2 and BRLA@SiO2 columns on P. notoginseng saponins was better than that of the C18 column and the BRLA@SiO2 column could replace the C18 column for the detection of P. notoginseng saponins.

Grafting of Tetraphenylethylene on Silica Surface, Characterizations, and Their Chromatographic Performance as Reversed-Phase Stationary Phases.

Surface modification is an effective way to functionalize the materials so as to get some special properties. Tetraphenylethylene (TPE) has been widely investigated as a well-known reagent which has the nature of aggregation-induced emission (AIE), but has never been reported in the liquid chromatography stationary phase. In this work, TPE-grafted silica (Sil-TPE) was obtained successfully using the derivative of 1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,2,2-triphenylethylene as a ligand, and then characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectra, thermogravimetric analysis, and so forth. Laser scanning confocal microscopy images reflected the AIE phenomenon of grafted TPE because the internal vibration and rotation of TPE molecules were restrained in the confined silica space. The contact angle test showed superhydrophobic properties of Sil-TPE. In order to understand thoroughly the mechanism of chromatographic performance and retention behavior for Sil-TPE, Tanaka test mixture, alkylbenzenes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and phenols were separated. This reveals that Sil-TPE has strong aromaticity and certain shape selectivity, especially, has excellent separation performance for PAHs and phenols. The thermodynamic properties and repeatability of Sil-TPE were further studied, which showed the stability of Sil-TPE. This work shows that TPE can be successfully grafted on silica surface and it has the potential to be a new kind of promising stationary phases in the future.

Preparation and chromatographic performance of cardanol-bonded silica stationary phase

天然产物作为一种绿色低毒、来源广泛、功能位点丰富的单体,已被广泛应用于色谱固定相的研制与开发。该文以天然可再生资源腰果酚为配体,通过一步法开环反应将其接枝到由γ-缩水甘油醚氧丙基三甲氧基硅烷(KH-560)修饰的硅胶上,制备得到腰果酚键合硅胶固定相。利用傅里叶红外光谱、元素分析、热失重分析和N2吸附脱附实验对固定相进行表征,结果表明成功制备了腰果酚键合硅胶色谱固定相。采用Tanaka实验试剂、烷基苯、多环芳香烃、苯酚类化合物和芳香族位置异构体为探针评价其分离性能和保留机制,并与C18柱进行对比。研究发现,腰果酚键合固定相除疏水作用外,还具有π-π和氢键作用。基于上述保留作用,腰果酚键合硅胶固定相对测试探针表现出良好的分离性能。重复进样10次,各探针保留时间的RSD为0.052%~0.079%,峰面积的RSD为0.104%~0.847%,峰高的RSD为0.081%~0.272%,表明该色谱柱具有良好的重复性和稳定性。此外,腰果酚键合硅胶色谱柱对中药喜树果和吴茱萸果的粗提物具有良好的分离性能,验证了其在实际样品分析中的巨大潜力。将天然产物腰果酚用于色谱固定相的制备,为分离纯化喜树碱和吴茱萸提供了新的方法,同时拓展了腰果酚在色谱分离材料方面的应用。

Preparation of modified rosin bonded silica high performance liquid chromatographic stationary phase and separation of Panax notoginseng saponins

三七中发挥药效的主要成分为三七皂苷R1、人参皂苷Rg1、人参皂苷Re、人参皂苷Rb1和人参皂苷Rd,用于贫血、冠心病、高血压、脑卒中后遗症等疾病的治疗,但其化学成分多且难分离。将氢化松香丙烯酸羟乙酯(HRHA)通过巯基-烯点击化学反应键合到烷基化硅胶表面,制备出一种新型的改性松香键合二氧化硅高效液相色谱固定相(SiO2@HRHA),用于三七总皂苷的分离。对色谱固定相进行一系列表征,表明SiO2@HRHA固定相具有球形度好和表面多孔的特点,比表面积为308.55 m2/g,平均孔径达到6.78 nm。将制备的固定相湿法装柱,色谱柱性能评价结果表明,SiO2@HRHA柱具备反相色谱行为、较好的流通性及重复性。从色谱柱的综合评价Tanaka测试可知,SiO2@HRHA柱具有较好的立体选择性及氢键容量。将其用于三七总皂苷的分离,SiO2@HRHA柱在一定程度上优于C18柱,而SiO2@HRHA柱的分离效果又优于实验室同期合成的色谱柱,对5种皂苷(R1、Rg1、Re、Rb1和Rd)的分离度依次为3.33、3.54、20.17和9.72,表明SiO2@HRHA高效液相色谱柱对三七总皂苷具有优异的分离效果,为从实际样品中分离纯化三七总皂苷提供了新思路。

Multicomponent Ugi reaction as a tool for fast and easy preparation of stationary phases for hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography. Part I: The influence of attachment and spacing of the functional ligand obtained via the Ugi reaction

A number of novel stationary phases for hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) containing both amides and hydroxyl groups in the functional ligand were obtained by the multicomponent Ugi reaction on the aminated silica surface. The ligands were either attached directly to the substrate surface or spaced by 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether (1,4-BDDGE) as a linker. Chromatographic parameters of the obtained stationary phases were evaluated using Tanaka test and model mixtures of sugars, amino acids, and water-soluble vitamins. The adsorbent obtained by direct substrate modification by the Ugi reaction showed the increase of hydrophilicity according to the Tanaka test and high selectivity toward all the analytes with separation efficiency of up to 40000 N/m. The separation of 9 sugars in 12 min, 7 amino acids in less than 18 min, and 7 vitamins in less than 10 min with only 10 cm long column was provided. The effect of introducing 1,4-BDDGE as a linker between the substrate surface and the ligand formed via the Ugi reaction was demonstrated and discussed.

Novel Adsorbents for Hydrophilic Chromatography Based on Silica Gel Covalently Modified with Poly(ethylene glycol)

Novel stationary phases based on aminopropyl silica gel covalently modified with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with different matrix-to-polymer mass ratios are obtained. The chromatographic properties of the adsorbents are studied using the Tanaka test procedure for hydrophilic stationary phases (and by way of example of separating model mixtures of sugars, amino acids, and water-soluble vitamins). It is shown that varying the thickness of the layer of (PEG) not only affects the efficiency but also makes it possible to tailor the selectivity toward polar analytes in the hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography mode.

A simple approach for reversed phase column comparisons via the Tanaka test

The Tanaka test is a classical characterization scheme designed in 1989 for highlighting the main reversed phase attributes of C18 columns: hydrophobicity, shape/steric selectivity, hydrogen bonding, ion exchange (pH < 7 and pH > 7 environments). In this short communication, we present it in a simplified manner that requires basic HPLC and spreadsheet operations; encouraging analysts of all levels of expertise to begin capturing an in-house library of column comparison knowledge based on their laboratory’s unique set of phases and previously developed separations. This approach does not compete, nor replace existing techniques such as quantitative structure-retention relationship (QSSR) models to aid column selection. It is simply an alternative or additional aid to support column selection decisions that is easily accessible and implementable.

Original Mesogenic Citronellol-Based Stationary Phase for Both Normal- and Reversed-Phase HPLC Modes: Properties and Applications

In this work, the synthesis, characterization and chromatographic performance of a silica material chemically bonded with a liquid crystal based on terminal citronellol for HPLC separation were investigated. This bonded liquid crystal stationary phase denoted as LC-LCC8 resulted from the grafting of a mesogenic carboxylic acid, 3′-((3,7-dimethyloct-6-en-1-y1)oxy)-[1,1′-biphenyl]-4-carboxylic acid (LCC8), on 4-(1,1-dimethyldisiloxanyl)butan-1-amine. LCC8 was previously synthesized and characterized by proton NMR, and a nematic mesophase at 127 °C was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry and microscopy. The resulting stationary phase LC-LCC8 was characterized by using diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The granulometric distribution was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) before and after grafting. An analytical column (150 mm × 2.1 mm × 5 µm) was packed with the stationary phase for the chromatographic study. The chromatographic behaviour of the stationary phase was first characterized using the Tanaka test, exhibiting an exceptionally high shape selectivity (αT/O = 3.9). In normal-phase mode, using a 92/8 cyclohexane/tetrahydrofuran (THF) (v/v) mixture as the mobile phase, the isomeric mixture (Z and E) of crotamiton was well separated. In reversed-phase mode, good selectivity was observed towards organic pollutants [polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)] and pharmaceutical compounds (xanthines, steroids and antihistamines). The new bonded phase showed satisfactory results both in normal- and reversed-phases modes except in terms of peak shape. The temperature effect on the selectivity and resolution of LC-LCC8 was estimated by injecting different isomers at various temperatures ranging from 293 to 333 K, demonstrating an improved resolution of solutes at high temperatures, which was probably due to a change in orientation order of the grafted ligands.

Imidazolium ionic liquid-enhanced poly(quinine)-modified silica as a new multi-mode chromatographic stationary phase for separation of achiral and chiral compounds

In this work, a novel imidazolium ionic liquid-functionalized poly(quinine)-modified silica stationary phase (Sil-PQn-MIm) was successfully synthesized via surface radical chain transfer and nucleophilic substitution reaction. The modified silica was confirmed by series of characterizations including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), elemental analysis (EA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The multi-mode chromatographic performances of the Sil-PQn-MIm column were investigated by anion-exchange mode for separation of aromatic acid samples, hydrophilic interaction mode for separation of nucleosides/nucleobases and sulfanilamides, and reversed-phase mode for separation of alkylbenzenes, benzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and the Tanaka test mixtures, respectively. As expected, compared to the Sil-PQn column only with quinine as functional group, the Sil-PQn-MIm column further modified by imidazolium ionic liquid possessed higher separation performance, especially for the separation of nucleosides/nucleobases. The effects including buffer concentration, pH, organic solvent content and column temperature on chromatographic performance were studied, which proved that multiple interactions including electrostatic, hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions can be simultaneously existed between the stationary phase and the analytes. In addition, reproducibility and efficiency of the Sil-PQn-MIm column were also investigated, the results illustrated that the stationary phase have good enough reproducibility (RSDs 0.15%–0.72%, n = 7) and high efficiency (plates per meter, ~90000 plates/m). In conclusion, the prepared stationary phase with multiple-mode retention capabilities could realize separation for various types of samples by optimizing chromatographic conditions, even for some chiral compounds.

A crosslinked, low pH-stable, mixed-mode cation-exchange like stationary phase made using the thiol-yne click reaction

Mixed-mode cation-exchange stationary phases are useful for the separation of mixtures containing hydrophobic, acidic, and basic molecules. To ensure that weak organic bases are protonated and carboxylic acids are neutral low pH mobile phases are required. Mixed-mode stationary phases that are stable at pH < 3 are needed. We synthesized a crosslinked structure along the surface of thiol functionalized silica gel particles using the thiol-yne click reaction. The alkyne, 1,7-octadiyne, was added to the 3-mercaptopropyl silica gel, then crosslinked using 1,6-hexanedithiol. Elemental analysis showed low octadiyne ligand surface coverage, but, stoichiometrically, three sulfurs were added to each octadiyne ligand during the crosslinking step, indicating that crosslinking occurred. The effect of the crosslinking on the stability was tested with a 50:50 (v/v) pH 0.50 5% TFA aqueous:acetonitrile mobile phase at 70 °C for six days, over 35,000 column volumes. The stationary phase showed good stability with the retention of triphenylene decreasing only 20% during that time. The Tanaka test showed that the phase has a methylene selectivity of 1.20 ± 0.04, a high shape selectivity of 2.71 ± 0.03, and a 3.98 ± 0.05 cation-exchange factor at pH 2.70. The phase has a selectivity factor for nitrobenzene and benzene of 1.41 ± 0.01, indicating the electron donating charge transfer characteristic of the phase. The mixed-mode characteristics of the phase were investigated using a mixture of the monoamine neurotransmitters norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. Baseline resolution of the monoamines could be obtained using a simple 20 mM potassium phosphate (pH 2.70)/methanol mobile phase. Altering both the methanol content and the potassium ion concentration altered the retention of the monoamines indicating mixed-mode cation exchange characteristic of the crosslinked stationary phase.

A pH-stable, crosslinked stationary phase based on the thiol-yne reaction

Stationary phases that can withstand extremes of pH and temperature are needed to allow a single column to accommodate a wider set of solutes and separation criteria. We used a simple multi-step process using the thiol-yne reaction following the modification of the silica surface with a thiol-containing silane. The monomers 1,4-diethynylbenzene (DEB) and 1,6-hexanedithiol were used to create a crosslinked thiol-yne (CTY) stationary phase along the surface of the thiol functionalized silica. In the Tanaka test characterization, the CTY phase showed a low phase ratio, methylene selectivity typical of a reversed phase, and extremely high shape selectivity compared to commercial reversed phases. The hydrophobic subtraction model characterization showed a high positive steric resistance, a low hydrogen bond acidity, and a high cation-exchange capacity compared to most reversed phases. At pH 0.5 with an 85% aqueous mobile phase the phase showed no significant change over 114 h. With a 50% aqueous mobile phase the phase took four more days than a sterically protected C18 phase for the k’ to decline 25%. At pH 12.6, 50% aqueous mobile phase, a sterically protected C18 phase showed a 20% decrease in k’ and more than a 60% decrease in theoretical plates per meter in three hours. The CTY phase actually showed modest increases in k’ and theoretical plates per meter after three hours.

Σpider diagram: A universal and versatile approach for system comparison and classification. Part 2: Stationary phase properties

Many different sorts of bonded phase chemistries may be used in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in the reversed-phase mode: C8, C18 (type A or B), polar-embedded C18, phenyl, pentafluorophenyl, or cyanopropyl. To assess their retention and selectivity properties, chromatographic tests exist. The data obtained from these tests may be presented in three ways. First, simple classification diagrams may be plotted, when only two or three parameters are studied. Secondly, chemometric treatments such as principal component analyses (PCA) or hierarchical cluster analyses (HCA) may be computed, when at least 4 parameters are studied. These are sometimes uneasy to interpret. Thirdly, the “distance” between one column and a reference column may be estimated, through calculated ranking (F or CDF) or selectivity (s) factors.In this paper, another treatment type is applied to the data of Euerby (Tanaka test) and Snyder (Hydrophobic Subtraction Model), each of these tests having 6 parameters. This treatment produces a visual classification, called spider diagram. In the first part of this series, this type of classification was applied to the classification of solvents. A logical and easily comprehensible classification is obtained for the varied types of bonded phases, with a clear location, which can be related to the chromatographic properties. The comparison of these diagrams shows that the classification based on Snyder’s hydrophobic subtraction model discriminates the stationary phases more effectively than the one based on the Tanaka test.Finally, on the basis of the parameter relevance and in order to favour comparison between these two tests and a third one called the carotenoid test, simplified classification maps are proposed. For Tanaka test, the selected parameters are the pentylbenzene retention factor (hydrophobicity), the benzylamine/phenol separation factor at pH 7.6 (polar surface activity) and the triphenylene/ortho-terphenyl (shape selectivity) separation factor. For Snyder test, the parameters selected are the ethylbenzene retention factor (hydrophobicity) the C term at pH 7.0 (polar surface activity) and the S* term (steric electivity). The location of some stationary phases onto the maps and their rankings are compared and shown to agree well between the three tests.

Investigation of the chromatographic regulation properties of benzyl groups attached to bridging nitrogen atoms in a calixtriazine‐bonded stationary phase

Two reversed-phase/anion-exchange mixed-mode stationary phases for high-performance liquid chromatography using calixtriazines as chromatographic ligands were investigated with Tanaka test solutes, monosubstituted benzenes, aromatic positional isomers, and inorganic anions. Calixtriazine as a chromatographic ligand has been reported previously, but the benzylated nitrogen-bridged calixtriazine-bonded silica gel reported in this study is new. The experimental data showed that the calixtriazine platform is a unique chromatographic selector because its multiple active sites are available for different solutes and its chromatographic selectivity could be tuned by introducing substituent on the bridging nitrogen atoms present in the calixtriazine matrix. The synergistic effects of aromatic rings, nitrogen atoms, benzyl groups, and tunable cavity in the host molecule influenced the separation selectivity by multiple retention mechanisms. Such hybrid stationary phases provide more versatility and have great potential in the analysis of complex samples. Moreover, the synthetic protocols presented herein may provide an alternative understanding on macrocyclic host-guest chemistry, leading to new and selective separation media.

Preparation and evaluation of pillararene bonded silica gel stationary phases for high performance liquid chromatography

Pillararene bonded stationary phases for high performance liquid chromatography were prepared using 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane as coupling reagent. The structure of the new materials was characterized by infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis and thermogravimetric analysis. The chromatographic performance and retention mechanism of the new stationary phases were evaluated in reversed-phase mode compared with C18 using different solute probes including Tanaka test solutes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, phenols and aromatic positional isomers. The new stationary phases could provide various interactions for different solutes, such as hydrophobic, hydrogen bonding, π-π and inclusion interactions. The synergistic effects resulting from aromatic rings, oxygen atoms, alkyl linkers and cavities in the new host molecules improved the separation selectivity by multiple retention mechanisms. Such hybrid stationary phases can provide more versatility and have great potential for the analysis of complex samples.