Achiral and chiral separations using MEKC,polyelectrolyte multilayer coatings,and mixed mode separation techniques with molecular micelles

Mixed mode (MM) separation using a combination of MEKC and polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) coatings is herein reported for the separation of achiral and chiral analytes. Many analytes are difficult to separate by MEKC and PEM coatings alone. Therefore, the implementation of a MM separation provides several advantages for overcoming the limitations of these well‐established methods. In this study, it was observed that achiral separations using MEKC and PEM coatings individually resulted in partial resolution of eight very similar aryl ketones when the molecular micelle (sodium poly(N‐undecanoyl‐L ‐glycinate)) concentration was varied from 0.25 to 1.00% w/v and the bilayer number varied from 2 to 4. However, when MM separation was introduced, baseline resolution was achieved for all eight analytes. In the case of chiral separations, temazepam, aminoglutethimide, benzoin, benzoin methyl ether, and coumachlor were separated using the three separation techniques. For chiral separations, the chiral molecular micelle, sodium poly(N‐undecanoyl‐L ‐leucylvalinate), was employed at concentrations of 0.25–1.50% w/v for both MEKC and PEM coatings. Overall, the results revealed partial separation with MEKC and PEM coatings individually. However, MM separation enabled baseline separation of each chiral mixture. The separation of achiral and chiral compounds from different compound classes demonstrates the versatility of this MM approach.     

Ionic liquids in enhancing the sensitivity of capillary electrophoresis: Off‐line and on‐line sample preconcentration techniques

The popularity of ionic liquids (ILs) has grown during the last decade in enhancing the sensitivity of CE through different off‐line or on‐line sample preconcentration techniques. Water‐insoluble ILs were commonly used in IL‐based liquid phase microextraction, in all its variants, as off‐line sample preconcentration techniques combined with CE. Water‐soluble ILs were rarely used in IL‐based aqueous two phase system (IL‐ATPS) as an off‐line sample preconcentration approach combined with CE in spite of IL‐ATPS predicted features such as more compatibility with CE sample injection due to its relatively low viscosity and more compatibility with CE running buffers avoid, in some cases, anion exchange precipitation. Therefore, the attentions for the key parameters affecting the performance of IL‐ATPSs were generally presented and discussed. On‐line CE preconcentration techniques containing IL‐based surfactants at nonmicellar or micellar concentrations have become another interesting area to improve CE sensitivity and it is likely to remain a focus of the field in the endeavor because of their numerous to create rapid, simple and sensitive systems. In this article, significant contributions of ILs in enhancing the sensitivity of CE are described, and a specific overview of the relevant examples of their applications is also given.     

Evaluation of chiral ionic liquids as additives to cyclodextrins for enantiomeric separations by capillary electrophoresis

A great interest has been drawn these last years towards ionic liquids in analytical chemistry, especially for separation methods. Recent synthesis of chiral ILs opened the way of the evaluation of new potential selectors for enantiomeric separations. This work focused on the evaluation of two chiral ILs (ethyl- and phenylcholine of bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide) by CE. Particular selectivities are awaited by exploiting unique ion-ion or ion-dipole interactions and by tailoring the nature of the cation and the anion. To evaluate such phenomena, a study was carried out with anti-inflammatory drugs 2-arylpropionic acids as model compounds. The results show that these chiral ILs did not present direct enantioselectivity with regard to these model analytes. The influence of chiral ILs in the electrolytes was then studied in the presence of classical chiral selectors (di- or trimethyl-beta-cyclodextrin). Although no general trend could be established, an increase in separation selectivity and resolution was observed in some cases, suggesting synergistic effects. The complementary determination of apparent inclusion constant values of these IL cations in the used cyclodextrins by affinity CE provided support to the understanding of the phenomena involved.     

Use of multivariate analysis for optimization of separation parameters and prediction of migration time, resolution, and resolution per unit time in micellar electrokinetic chromatography

The optimization of separation parameters in chromatography for better separation and resolution of analytes continues to be a labor intensive procedure usually performed by a trial and error method. A multivariate analysis in the form of multilinear regression (MLR) is used to optimize separation parameters and predict the migration behavior, resolution, and resolution per unit time of achiral (4-chlorophenol, pentachlorophenol, clonazepam, and diazepam) and chiral (1,1'-binaphthyl 2,2'-dihydrogen phosphate (BNP), and 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol (BOH)) compounds in MEKC. Separations of achiral and chiral analytes were performed using an achiral (poly(sodium N-undecylenic sulfate)) molecular micelle and chiral (poly(sodium N-undecanoyl-L-leucylvalinate) or poly(sodium N-undecanoyl-L-isoleucylvalinate)) molecular micelle, respectively, at various operating temperatures, applied voltages, pH values, and molecular micelle concentrations in the BGE. The separation parameters were subsequently used as input variables for MLR models. The models were validated with independent samples. The root-mean-square percent relative error (RMS%RE) is used as a figure of merit for characterizing the performance of the migration time, resolution, and resolution per unit time models. The RMS%RE obtained for predicted migrated times, resolutions, and resolution per unit time of 4-chlorophenol, pentachlorophenol, clonazepam, diazepam, BNP, and BOH ranged between 8 and 19%. The same experimental procedure was used to optimize the separation parameters of six other chiral analytes of different compound class. The predicted migration times, resolutions, and resolution per unit time of the chiral as well as the achiral analytes compare favorably with the experimental migration times and resolutions, indicating versatility and wide applicability of the technique in MEKC.     

Understanding chiral molecular micellar separations using steady-state fluorescence anisotropy, capillary electrophoresis, and NMR

Chiral separations employing four diastereomers of poly sodium N-undecanoyl leucylvalinate (p-SULV) as chiral selectors are probed by use of MEKC, steady-state fluorescence anisotropy, and NMR. By employing diastereomers and thus altering the stereochemistry of a single amino acid in a systematic way, one may control the enantiorecognition ability of the chiral selector. As a result, one can gain a better understanding of the mechanisms of chiral recognition for the two classes of neutral or anionic chiral analytes studied. Evaluation of the chiral interactions leading to chiral separations confirmed our earlier observation of a strong relationship between the selectivity (alpha) observed using a chromatographic separation technique (MEKC) and that determined from the spectroscopic parameter, beta. A linear alpha versus beta relationship was observed for the molecular micelle p-(L)-SULV with all eight analytes included in this study. However, as we earlier predicted, different groups of analytes had different slopes, i.e., values of m, suggesting different chiral separation mechanisms. Evaluation of the data allowed a grouping of the analytes according to the primary site of chiral interaction with the leucine or valine moiety of molecular micelle chiral headgroup.     

Use of NMR binding interaction mapping techniques to examine interactions of chiral molecules with molecular micelles

NMR spectroscopy was used to investigate the association of four chiral molecules with the molecular micelle poly(sodium N-undecanoyl-l-leucylvalinate) (poly(SULV)). Adding poly(SULV) to the background electrolyte in electrokinetic chromatography (EKC) allows enantiomeric resolution to be achieved because enantiomers interact differentially with the chiral centers on the micelle headgroups as they both move in the electric field. Pulsed field gradient diffusion experiments were used to measure molecular micelle association constants for enantiomers of each analyte. These association constants were consistent with EKC elution order for the compounds 1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diyl hydrogen phosphate (BNP), 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol (BOH), and Troger's base. In addition, nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy, nuclear Overhauser effect difference, and intermolecular cross relaxation diffusion experiments were used to generate binding interaction maps for each chiral analyte. These maps showed that BNP and BOH inserted into the surfactant headgroup's major chiral groove and interacted predominately with the leucine chiral center. (+)-Troger's base was also found to insert into the major chiral groove. However, this compound instead interacted with the valine chiral atom. In diffusion experiments with long diffusion times, the linearized diffusion plots for each analyte-molecular micelle mixture showed curvature characteristic of intermolecular cross relaxation. The magnitude of this effect scaled linearly with the analytes' free energies of binding.     

Fullerene-impregnated ionic liquid stationary phases for gas chromatography

A new method has been developed to facilitate the use of fullerenes as stationary phases (SPs) in gas chromatography (GC). In this method, ionic liquids (ILs) are used as solvents to coat fullerenes (C(60), amino-C(60) and hydroxy-C(60)) onto GC columns. However, the ILs serve not just as coating solvents but also act synergistically with fullerenes to provide unique properties as stationary phases, namely dual modal characteristics. They act as non-polar SPs when separating non-polar analytes (aromatic hydrocarbon mixtures and alkane mixtures), and as polar SPs for polar analytes (e.g., alcohol mixtures). The polarity of the stationary phase can be adjusted by changing either the type of the IL and/or by adding either C(60) (or its amino or hydroxy derivatives) to the IL. It was found that C(60) and its derivatives produce not only a change in the polarity of the SP but also substantial enhancement in separation efficiencies for both non-polar and polar analytes. More importantly, when added to the IL SP, C(60) improves separation efficiencies not just for non-polar analytes (aromatic hydrocarbon mixtures and alkane mixtures) but also for polar analytes (mixtures of ortho-, meta- and para-xylene and alcohol mixtures) as well. Moreover, C(60) SP provides higher efficiencies than amino-C(60) and hydroxy-C(60) for separation of polar analytes. This is rather surprising considering that not only are amino-C(60) and hydroxy-C(60) more polar than C(60), but that the IL used to coat the amino- and hydroxy-C(60) (i.e., N-ethylpyridinium trifluoroacetate, [EtPy(+) CF(3)COO(-)]) is more polar than the IL used to coat the C(60) (i.e., octylmethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl)amide], [OMIm(+) (CF(3)SO(2))(2)N(-)]). Moreover, compared to its amino and hydroxy derivatives, the concentration of C(60) in the column was 10 times lower.     

Ionic liquids: solvents and sorbents in sample preparation

The applications of ionic liquids (ILs) and IL‐derived sorbents are rapidly expanding. By careful selection of the cation and anion components, the physicochemical properties of ILs can be altered to meet the requirements of specific applications. Reports of IL solvents possessing high selectivity for specific analytes are numerous and continue to motivate the development of new IL‐based sample preparation methods that are faster, more selective, and environmentally benign compared to conventional organic solvents. The advantages of ILs have also been exploited in solid/polymer formats in which ordinarily nonspecific sorbents are functionalized with IL moieties in order to impart selectivity for an analyte or analyte class. Furthermore, new ILs that incorporate a paramagnetic component into the IL structure, known as magnetic ionic liquids (MILs), have emerged as useful solvents for bioanalytical applications. In this rapidly changing field, this Review focuses on the applications of ILs and IL‐based sorbents in sample preparation with a special emphasis on liquid phase extraction techniques using ILs and MILs, IL‐based solid‐phase extraction, ILs in mass spectrometry, and biological applications.     

CO2/离子液体体系热力学性质的分子动力学模拟

超临界CO2和离子液体(ILs)是两种绿色溶剂. 离子液体可以溶解超临界CO2, 而超临界CO2不能溶解离子液体. 由此设计构成的CO2/IL二元系统, 同时具备了超临界CO2和离子液体的许多优点: 既可以降低离子液体的粘度, 还便于相分离, 是新型的耦合绿色溶剂. 其物理化学性质对于设计反应、分离等过程非常重要. 因此, 本文以CO2/IL二元系统为研究对象, 通过选择合适的分子力场和系综, 运用分子动力学(MD)模拟方法研究了CO2/[bmim][PF6]、CO2/[bmim][NO3]等体系的热力学性质. 结果表明, CO2对ILs膨胀度的影响非常小, 当CO2摩尔分数为0.5时, ILs膨胀仅为15%. CO2/ILs的扩散系数远小于CO2膨胀甲醇、乙醇溶液的扩散系数. 随着CO2含量的增加, ILs的扩散系数提高, 粘度显著下降, 表明CO2能有效地改善ILs扩散性, 减小其粘度. 因此CO2可用以改善离子液体溶剂体系的传递特性, 增强反应分离过程在其中的进行.     

Reversed phase liquid chromatography of alkyl-imidazolium ionic liquids

Eleven 1-alkyl-3-methyl imidazolium ionic liquid (IL) salts were analyzed in reversed phase mode with a Kromasil C18 column. The mobile phases were water-rich acetonitrile solutions (water content > or =70%, v/v) without any added salts. It is shown that it is possible to separate different ILs sharing the same cation and differing by the anion when salt-free mobile phases are used. When a buffer, acetate or phosphate salt, or any salt, such as sodium chloride or sodium tetrafluorobarate, is added to the mobile phase, the ILs differing only by their anions cannot be separated. ILs with different alkyl chains in the imidazolium cation are separated by mobile phases with or without added salts following a hydrophobic interaction behavior: log k is proportional to nC, the carbon number of the alkyl chain. Important differences in ion/stationary phase interactions are observed depending on the ionic content of the mobile phase. With salt-free mobile phases, the IL/C18 stationary phase interactions correspond to concave isotherms associated with fronting peaks for all ILs. With mobile phase containing 0.01 M of salt, tailing IL peaks correspond to convex adsorption isotherms. Also, the IL retention factor depends on the concentration and nature of the added salt. Hexafluorophosphate chaotropic anions can adsorb on the Kromasil C18 surface dramatically increasing the imidazolium cation retention factors.     

Use of short chain alkyl imidazolium ionic liquids for on‐line stacking and sweeping of methotrexate,flinic acid and folic acid: Their application to biological fluids

Methotrexate (MTX) is widely used for the treatment of many types of cancer. Folinic acid (FNA) and folic acid (FA) were usually simultaneously supplemented with MTX to reduce the side effects of a folate deficiency. This study, for the first time, included on‐line sample preconcentration by stacking and sweeping techniques under reduced or enhanced electric conductivity in the sample region using short chain alkyl imidazolium ionic liquids (ILs) as micelle forming agents for analyte focusing. Both analyte focusing by micelle collapse (AFMC) and sweeping‐MEKC had been investigated for the comparison of their effectiveness to examine simultaneously MTX, FNA and FA in plasma and urine under physiological conditions. In sweeping‐MEKC, the sample solution without micelles was hydrodynamically injected as a long plug into a fused‐silica capillary pre‐filled with phosphate buffer containing 3.0 mol/L of 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bromide (BMIMBr). Using AFMC, the analytes were prepared in BMIMBr micellar matrix and hydrodynamically injected into the phosphate buffer without IL micelles. The conductivity ratio between BGE and sample (γ, BGE/sample) was optimized to be 3.0 in sweeping‐MEKC and 0.33 in AFMC resulting the adequate separation of analytes within 4.0 min. To reduce the possibility of BMIMBr adsorption, an appropriate rinsing protocol was used. The limits of detection were calculated as 0.1 ng/mL MTX, 0.05 ng/mL FNA and 0.05 ng/mL FA by sweeping‐MEKC and 0.5 ng/mL MTX, 0.3 ng/mL FNA and 0.3 ng/mL FA by AFMC. The accuracy was tested by recovery in plasma and urine matrices giving values ranging between 90 and 110%. Both stacking and sweeping by BMIMBr could be successfully used for the rapid, selective and sensitive determination of pharmaceuticals in complex matrices due to its fascinating properties, including high conductivity, good thermal stability and ability to form different types of interactions by electrostatic, hydrophobic, hydrogen bonding and π–π interactions. In sweeping‐MEKC, the using of BMIMBr enhanced the γ factor, k retention factor and the injected amount of sample. Consequently, this technique offers particular potential for higher sensitivity by giving 22‐ and 5‐fold sensitivity enhancement factors (SEFs) of MTX compared to CZE and AFMC, respectively.     

毛细管电泳新型手性分离体系研究进展

在现代分离科学中,手性化合物的分离分析一直是研究的重点和难点。相比于高效液相色谱（HPLC）、气相色谱（GC）等传统色谱分析方法,毛细管电泳（CE）技术凭借其高效率、低消耗、分离模式多样化等诸多优势,已经发展成为手性分离研究领域最有应用前景的分析方法之一。近年来,研究人员在CE手性分析方法的构建过程中,基于毛细管电动色谱（EKC）、配体交换毛细管电泳（LECE）、毛细管电色谱（CEC）等各种基础电泳模式,不断地对传统手性分离体系进行优化和改造,构建出了许多高性能的新型手性CE分离体系。如利用各类功能化离子液体以"手性离子液体协同拆分""手性离子液体配体交换""离子液体手性选择剂"等模式设计出多种基于离子液体的CE手性分离体系;利用纳米材料独特的尺寸效应、多样性、可设计性等特点,直接或与传统手性选择剂有机结合构建CE手性分离体系。此外,金属有机骨架材料修饰、低共熔溶剂修饰、非连续分段式部分填充等各式新颖的CE手性分离体系也都被研究人员成功开发,并表现出较大的发展潜力。该综述将对近年来（尤其是2015~2019年）此类新型CE手性分离体系的发展状况进行梳理,并结合相应的手性识别机理研究和手性CE方法实际应用情况,对该领域存在的问题及发展前景进行分析和展望。     

Binary ionic liquid mixtures as gas chromatography stationary phases for improving the separation selectivity of alcohols and aromatic compounds

Binary mixtures of two ionic liquids (ILs), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIM-Cl) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide (BMIM-NTf2), have been studied for the first time as gas chromatographic stationary phases. The two ILs differ only in the nature of the associated anion. The solvation parameter model was used to examine the change of solvation interactions with the IL stationary phase composition. The hydrogen bond basicity increased linearly as the stationary phase was enriched with the BMIM-Cl IL. The retention factor of short-chained alcohols increased by as much as 1100% when performing the separation on a column containing an IL mixture of 25% BMIM-NTf2/75% BMIM-Cl compared to that of the neat BMIM-NTf2 IL column. By tuning the composition of the IL-stationary phase, the separation selectivity and resolution factors of alcohols and aromatic compounds were improved. A reversal of elution order was observed for specific classes of analytes with enhancements in the stationary phase hydrogen bond basicity.     

High Electric Field Strengths in Micellar Electrokinetic Capillary Electrophoresis with Ionic Liquids as Modifiers

Abstract

In this study, a method for the separation and determination of basic analytes in aqueous capillary electrophoresis (CE) was developed based on high electric field strengths and ionic liquids (ILs). The resulting electric field strengths ranged from 500 to 1000 V/cm. Trishydroxymethylaminomethane (Tris) and sodium cholate (SC) were used as main electrolytes. The ionic liquids 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazoium tetrafluoroborate (1E‐3MI‐TFB) and 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazoium tetrafluoroborate (1B‐3MI‐TFB) were used as modifiers to improve the separation efficiency and selectivity. It was shown that increasing the applied electric field strengths not only caused short analysis time, but also did not induce excessive Joule heating in the capillary when ionic liquids were used as modifiers. The susceptibility to high electric field of separation efficiency in capillary electrophoresis, with the effect of ionic liquids, was subsequently discussed, and the developed method was used to analyze three model analytes in Sinacalia tangutica. The accurate results illustrated that high electric field strength with the ionic liquids was feasible in CE.     

Anion-selective electrodes based on ionic liquid membranes: effect of ionic liquid anion on observed response

A systematic study of the behavior of ion-exchanger anion-selective electrodes prepared from seven different trihexyltetradecylphosphonium ionic liquids (ILs) was performed. The effective ion-exchange capacity of prepared ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) increased with decreasing IL anion lipophilicity, and analyte anion response slopes became more Nernstian concomitantly. With ILs having the most lipophilic constituent anions, incorporation of tridodecylmethylammonium chloride into membranes significantly enhanced responses toward all ions. However, ILs based on bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide and dodecylsulfate maintained sub-Nernstian responses upon such addition apparently due to their ability to coordinate cations. Electrodes prepared with high IL content displayed regions of super-Nernstian response, which could be eliminated by reducing percent of IL in the membrane; percentages at which optimal linear range was achieved also followed a trend with decreasing constituent IL anion lipophilicity. While selectivities of all electrodes followed the Hofmeister pattern, selectivity coefficient ranges generally were narrower than observed with traditionally plasticized ISEs, and selectivities for more hydrophilic analytes were improved slightly in ILs containing the most hydrophilic constituent anions.     

Electrical conductivity study on micelle formation of long-chain imidazolium ionic liquids in aqueous solution

Electrical conductivity was measured for aqueous solutions of long-chain imidazolium ionic liquids (IL), 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium bromides with C(12)-C(16) alkyl chains. The break points appeared in specific conductivity (kappa) vs concentration (c) plot indicates that the molecular aggregates, i.e., micelles, are formed in aqueous solutions of these IL species. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) determined from the kappa vs c plot is somewhat lower than those for typical cationic surfactants, alkyltrimethylammonium bromides with the same hydrocarbon chain length. The electrical conductivity data were analyzed according to the mixed electrolyte model of micellar solution, and the aggregation number, n, and the degree of counter ion binding, beta, were estimated. The n values of the present ILs are somewhat smaller than those reported for alkyltrimethylammonium bromides, which may be attributed to bulkiness of the cationic head group of the IL species. The thermodynamic parameters for micelle formation of the present ILs were estimated using the values of cmc and beta as a function of temperature. The contribution of entropy term to the micelle formation is superior to that of enthalpy term below about 30 degrees C, and it becomes opposite at higher temperature. This coincides with the picture drawn for the micelle formation of conventional ionic surfactants.     

Chromatographic evaluation and comparison of three beta-cyclodextrin-based stationary phases by capillary liquid chromatography and pressure-assisted capillary electrochromatography

Enantiomer separations were performed on three beta-cyclodextrin-based chiral stationary phases (CSP) containing the pernaphthylcarbamoylated beta-cyclodextrin (CSP 1), peracetylated beta-cyclodextrin (CSP 2) and permethylated beta-cyclodextrin (CSP 3) as chiral selectors by capillary liquid chromatography and pressure-assisted capillary electrochromatography in this study. Triethylammonium acetate/MeOH or phosphate buffer/MeOH was used as the mobile phase. The experimental factors affecting chiral separations have been examined for each CSP, including pH of the buffers, methanol content and applied voltage. Under optimal separation conditions, a number of racemic compounds were resolved into their enantiomers on three cyclodextrin-based CSP. A comparative study on the performance of three CSP revealed the presence of carbonyl functional groups as well as aromatic rings in the cyclodextrin derivatives, enhanced the interaction between the analytes and CSP, and thus improved enantioselectivity of the CSP.     

Stabilizing proteins for affinity capillary electrophoresis using ionic liquid aqueous two phase systems: Pharmaceuticals and human serum albumin

Recently, ionic liquids (ILs) are finding ever broader scope within pharmaceutical and bioanalytical applications. In the current work, ACE binding measurements of tryptophan (Try)‐HSA, chlorambucil (CHL)‐HSA, and dacarbazine (DTIC)‐HSA complexes were estimated in the absence or presence of several short chain imidazolium ILs within the range of concentrations of 10.0–1000.0 μmol/L that are far below the critical micelle concentrations of ILs. Results indicated that the value of binding constant of Trp‐HSA was dramatically deviated in the presence of 1000.0 μmol/L 1‐decyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bromide (DMIMBr) IL. However, interestingly, there is no any deviation for the Trp‐HSA binding constant with 100.0 μmol/L 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bromide (BMIMBr) IL as an adjuvant additive in 67.0 mmol/L phosphate buffer at pH 7.4. This finding was further used to estimate the binding constants of important but weakly binding substances of CHL and DTIC antitumors with HSA; their binding constants were also estimated by HPAC giving data in good agreement with that revealed by ACE. These achievements were attributed to the significant improvement of HSA stability by combination with BMIMBr IL through hydrogen bond, electrostatic, and π–π forces. In addition, the use of 100.0 μmol/L BMIMBr extended the stability of native HSA solution stored under the ambient lab conditions up to 25 days with significant improvements in the precision of ACE binding data.     

Analysis of aromatic acids by nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis with ionic‐liquid electrolytes

The separation of six kinds of aromatic acids by CZE with 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride (EMIMCl) and 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate (EMIMHSO₄)_, two kinds of ionic liquids (ILs) as background electrolytes, and acetonitrile as solvent were investigated. The six kinds of aromatic acids can be separated under positive voltage with low IL concentration with either of the two ILs and separation with EMIMHSO₄ is better in consideration of peak shapes and separation efficiency. But the migration order is different when the IL is different. Under negative voltage with high IL concentration, the six analytes can be separated with EMIMCl as background electrolytes and the migration order of the analytes is opposite to those with low concentration of EMIMCl as background electrolyte. The separations are based on the combination effects of heteroconjugation between the anions and cations in the ILs and the analytes, of which the heteroconjugation between the anions in the ILs and the analytes plays a dominant role. The heteroconjugation between the anions of the ILs and analytes is proton sensitive and only a very small amount of proticsolvents added into the electrolyte solution can harm the separation. When EMIMCl concentration is high, the heteroconjugation between the IL anions and the proton in the analytes make the effective mobility of the analytes much higher than the EOF and their migration direction reversed. Finally, the six aromatic acids in water samples were analyzed by nonaqueous CE with low concentration of EMIMHSO₄ as background electrolytes with satisfactory results.     

Characterization of hexacationic imidazolium ionic liquids as effective and highly stable gas chromatography stationary phases

Polycationic ionic liquids (ILs) are an attractive class of ILs with great potential applicability as gas chromatography stationary phases. A family of hexacationic imidazolium ILs derived from the cycloalkanol family was chemically first prepared in a straightforward manner and then applied for analytical separation purposes. Four tuneable engineering vectors, namely cation ring size structure, anion nature, spatial disposition of cycloalkanol substituents and O‐substitution, were considered as experimental parameters for the design of the desired ionic liquids. A total number of five new phases based on a common benzene core respectively exhibited column efficiencies around to 2500 plates/m, broad operating temperature ranges and also, even more importantly, good thermal stabilities (bleeding temperature between 260 and 365°C), finding variations in the selectivity and analytes elution orders depending on the IL structures. Their solvation characteristics were evaluated using the Abraham solvation parameter model, establishing clear correlations between their cation structure and retention capability with respect to certain analytes. The study of relationships between the ILs structure and solvation parameters gives us an idea of the IL stationary phase to be used for specific separations.