Unconventional TLC systems in lipophilicity determination: A review

ABSTRACT

This review focuses on four unusual thin-layer chromatography (TLC) approaches for the determination of lipophilicity: (1) the use of medium-polar stationary phases: CN, NH₂, and DIOL instead of RP plates, together with water-based mobile phase; (2) the use of silica gel in a typical normal-phase manner and treating extrapolated retention indices as the “reversed lipophilicity”; (3) the use of oil impregnated silica gel in the reversed-phase manner; and (4) the use of salting-out mobile phases. The chromatographic indices obtained in these systems are numerously reported as well correlated with lipophilicity and they are an interesting alternative to classical RP systems approaches.