Mobile phase effects in reversed-phase chromatography VI. Thermodynamic models for retention and its dependence on mobile phase composition and temperature

Summary The physico-chemical framework is examined by comparing the predictions of three models for the combined effects of the composition of the hydroorganic mobile phase and the column temperature on the retention ofn-alkylbenzenes on hydrocarbonaceous bonded stationary phases. The well-mixed model leads to expressions for the dependence of retention on three factors which are equivalent to those derived previously from linear extrathermodynamic relationships. The diachoric model stems from the assumption that the mobile phase is microscopically heterogeneous and the displacement model is identical to the retention model most widely used in chromatography with polar sorbents and less polar solvents. Over limited ranges of mobile phase composition and temperature, each model does describe retention behavior. However, only the wellmixed model describes retention well over the entire range of mobile phase composition and temperature studied here. The success of the well-mixed model, and its limits, give insight into the role of the organic solvent in determining the magnitude of chromatographic retention on non-polar stationary phases with hydro-organic eluents.Dedicated to Professor S. R. Lipsky on the occasion of his 60th birthday.     

Predicting retention in reverse‐phase liquid chromatography at different mobile phase compositions and temperatures by using the solvation parameter model

The prediction capability of the solvation parameter model in reverse‐phase liquid chromatography at different methanol‐water mobile phase compositions and temperatures was investigated. By using a carefully selected set of solutes, the training set, linear relationships were established through regression equations between the logarithm of the solute retention factor, logk, and different solute parameters. The coefficients obtained in the regressions were used to create a general retention model able to predict retention in an octadecylsilica stationary phase at any temperature and methanol‐water composition. The validity of the model was evaluated by using a different set (the test set) of 30 solutes of very diverse chemical nature. Predictions of logk values were obtained at two different combinations of temperature and mobile phase composition by using two different procedures: (i) by calculating the coefficients through a mathematical linear relationship in which the mobile phase composition and temperature are involved; (ii) by using a general equation, obtained by considering the previous results, in which only the experimental values of temperature and mobile phase composition are required. Predicted logk values were critically compared with the experimental values. Excellent results were obtained considering the diversity of the test set.     

Effect of mobile phase composition, pH and buffer type on the retention of ionizable compounds in reversed-phase liquid chromatography: application to method development

Optimizing separation of ionizable compounds in order to find robust conditions has become an important part of method development in liquid chromatography. This work is an attempt to explain the observed variations of retention of acid and basic compounds with the organic modifier content in the mobile phase, according to various factors: the type of modifier, the type of buffer, the temperature and of course the type of solute. This is done by considering the variation of the so-called chromatographic pKa which refers to the pH measured in the aqueous medium and is determined from retention data. A procedure is described that accurately relates, from nine experiments, retention to solvent composition and pH. The limits of such a procedure are evaluated and two examples of optimized separations of basic compounds are given.     

The effects of temperature and mobile phase on the retention of aliphatic carboxylic acids in hydrophilic interaction chromatography on zwitterionic stationary phases

The influence of the mobile phase and temperature, on the retention behavior of seven aliphatic acids (pyruvic, gluconic, 2‐oxoglutaric, tartaric, malic, oxalic, and citric acid) in hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography on zwitterionic stationary phases with sulfobetaine and phosphorylcholine ligands is investigated. In agreement with the van't Hoff model, most acids show linear ln k versus 1/T plots. However, the retention of structurally symmetrical oxalic and tartaric dicarboxylic acids is almost independent of temperature, or slightly increases at rising temperature. The experimental parameters of the van't Hoff plots suggest positive entropic contributions to the retention of these symmetrical acids, possibly connected with changes in molecular symmetry on their adsorption. The type of the zwitterionic stationary phase and the mobile phase composition (the molar concentration of acetate buffer and the volume fraction of acetonitrile) affect the retention and the selectivity of the separation of the acids.     

Retention models for ionizable compounds in reversed-phase liquid chromatography: Effect of variation of mobile phase composition and temperature

General models in reversed-phase liquid chromatography that have been extended to relate retention of ionizable compounds to mobile phase composition, pH and/or temperature are reviewed. In particular, the fundamentals and applications of the solvation parameter model, the polarity parameter model and several classical models based on empirical equations are presented and compared. A main parameter in all these models is the degree of ionization of the acid–base compound, which depends on both the pH of the mobile phase and the acid–base constant of the compound. Thus, on one hand, the different procedures for pH measurement in the mobile phase and their influence on the performance of the models are outlined. On the other hand, equations that relate the variation of the pH of the buffer and the pK_a of the compound with the mobile phase composition and/or temperature are reviewed and their applicability to the retention models critically discussed.     

Retention prediction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in reversed phase liquid chromatography with various mobile phase compositions and column temperatures

Summary The relationship between the logarithmic capacity factor measured in reversed-phase liquid chromatography and the operating conditions including the mobile phase composition and the column temperature is investigated. The strategy described herein can offer the possibility to predict the retention of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons without any experiments and standard materials, by utilizing equations describing the relationships between retention, temperature, mobile phase composition and physicochemical properties of the solutes previously stored in the program of the microcomputer-assisted retention prediction system.This concept is one of the most promising techniques for the optimization of the separation conditions in reversed-phase liquid chromatography.     

Reversed-phase retention thermodynamics of pure-water mobile phases at ambient and elevated temperature

The use of pure water at superheated temperatures, between 100 and 200 degrees C, as a mobile phase for reversed-phase separations is explored. The thermodynamics of the retention process at low temperature (15-55 degrees C) are compared to the thermodynamics at elevated temperature (125-175 degrees C). Significant differences in the enthalpy of the retention process are observed between the two temperature ranges. This is possibly due to changes in the hydrogen-bond network of the pure-water mobile phase, which would change the solvation, and therefore retention, of non-polar solutes. The change in thermodynamic values between the two temperature regions invalidates extrapolation of retention as a function of temperature between the two temperature regions for the prediction of room-temperature pure-water retention factors. The thermodynamic changes observed as the temperature is increased are similar to those seen when mobile phase composition is changed (by adding organic modifier) at constant temperature.     

Selectivity differences in the separation of amphipathic alpha-helical peptides during reversed-phase liquid chromatography at pHs 2.0 and 7.0: effects of different packings, mobile phase conditions and temperature

In an ongoing effort to understand the effect of varying reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) parameters on the retention behaviour of peptides, necessary for the rational development of separation/optimization protocols, we believe it is important to delineate the contribution of alpha-helical structure to the selectivity of peptide separations. The present study reports the effects of varying column packing, mobile phase conditions and temperature on RP-HPLC retention behaviour at pHs 2.0 and 7.0 of peptides based on the amphipathic peptide sequence Ac-EAEKAAKEXEKAAKEAEK-amide (with position X in the centre of the hydrophobic face of the alpha-helix), where position X is substituted by L- or D-amino acids. At pH 2.0, an increase in trifluoroacetic acid concentration or the addition of sodium perchlorate to a phosphoric acid-based mobile phase had the similar effect of improving peak shape as well as increasing peptide retention time due to ion-pairing effects with the positively-charged peptides; in contrast, at pH 7.0, the addition of salt had little effect save an improvement in peak shape. Temperature was shown to have a complex influence on peptide selectivity due to varying effects on peptide conformation. In addition, subtle effects on peptide selectivity were also noted based on the column packings employed at pHs 2.0 and 7.0.     

Brief analysis of the retention process in RP-HPLC systems with a C(30) bonded stationary phase

The influence of the mobile-phase composition on the retention of eight model substances in different RP-HPLC systems with a C(30) alkyl bonded stationary phase has been studied. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of four valuable retention models assuming the partition and adsorption mechanism of retention. All the models were verified for different experimental data by four criteria: the sum of squared differences between the experimental and theoretical data; the approximation of the standard deviation; the Fisher test; and the F-test ratio.     

反相液相色谱中保留值变化规律的研究: 同系物和柱温对保留值的影响

根据反相液相色谱保留模型和Martin方程, 采用热力学方法导出了一组包括各种色谱参数(如柱温、流动相中有机改性剂浓度以及溶质、溶剂和键合相表面烷基配体中的碳数)的线性保留方程。利用这组方程能够解释反相液相色谱中各种线性保留规律和实验现象, 并预测和实验验证了多种文献未报道的线性规律。     

Separation of C1-C5 aliphatic carboxylic acids on a highly sulfonated styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer resin column with a C6 aliphatic carboxylic acid solution as the mobile phase

Simultaneous separation of C₁-C₅ aliphatic carboxylic acids (formic, acetic, propionic, iso-butyric, butyric, iso-valeric and valeric acids) on a highly sulfonated styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer resin column (TSKgel SCX,  mm i.d.) was performed with C₆ aliphatic carboxylic acids (3-methyl-n-valeric, iso-caproic and caproic acids) solutions as the mobile phases. Using 0.05 mM sulfuric acid at pH 4.0 as the mobile phase, although good separation of these C₁-C₅ acids was achieved, peaks of the C₅ acids (iso-valeric and valeric acids) with large hydrophobicity tailed strongly. In contrast, using 1 mM C₆ acids at pH ca. 4.0 as the mobile phases, although vacant peaks corresponding to the C₆ acids in the mobile phase appeared, the peak shapes of the C₅ acids were improved greatly. Excellent simultaneous separation, symmetrical peaks and relatively high-sensitivity conductimetric detection for these C₁-C₅ acids were achieved on the TSKgel SCX column in 15 min with 1 mM iso-caproic acid at pH 4.0 as the mobile phase.     

Experimental study on the retention of silica particles in gravitational field-flow fractionation effects of the mobile phase composition

Effects of mobile phase composition can play an effective role in modulating the retention of particles in gravitational field-flow fractionation (GFFF), the simplest and cheapest among field-flow fractionation (FFF) techniques. In the framework of an optimized procedure for the GFFF characterization of particulate systems, an experimental approach to the effects of the mobile phase composition on the retention of silica particles retention is presented. The role of the ionic strength and the presence of surfactant are emphasized, with special regards to the shape of the particles. Moreover, the first experimental evidence of potential-barrier GFFF is reported.     

Combined effect of organic modifier concentration and column temperature on retention in reversed-phase ion-pair liquid chromatography

Summary The retention behavior of phenylamine and naphthylamine sulphonic acid was evaluated in reversed-phase ion-pair liquid chromatography as a function of organic modifier concentration and column temperature. It has been observed that the logarithm of capacity factors decrease linearly with organic modifier concentration, and there is a good linear relationship between the intercept and slope for this relationship. Phenylamine and naphthylamine sulphonic acid retention decreases with increase in column temperature. A linear dependence of lnk _ip on the reciprocal of the absolute temperature, the Van't Hoff plot, was observed over the column temperature range studied, and the standard enhalpic change (H^o) for these sulphonic acid transfers from the mobile phaser to the stationary phase was determined. H^o was dependent on the solute structure and in the range from 2.5 Kcal/mol to 5.5 Kcal/mol, which is close to that observed in RP-HPLC. The enthalpy/entropy compensation effect was evaluated by plotting lnk _ip(T) vs. –H^o, and the apparent differences in retention mechanisms between the analytes were observed, which may arise from the significant differences in their configuration, hydrophobicity and the charges of the solutes as well as the complex retention processes of RP-IPC.     

Reversed-phase liquid chromatographic separation of antiretroviral drugs on a monolithic column using ionic liquids as mobile phase additives

The use of 3-methylimidazolium cation-based ionic liquids (ILs) was evaluated as mobile phase additives for separation of antiretroviral drugs on a monolithic column by RP-HPLC. Separation of eight commonly used antiretroviral drugs was achieved on a Chromolith Flash, RP-18e column (25 × 4.6 mm, porous material) using water (pH 4.0 adjusted with acetic acid)/methanol v/v as a mobile phase containing ILs in a gradient elution mode. The effects of concentrations of ILs on retention, resolution and peak shape were studied and a regression equation correlating the interactions between stationary phase and the ILs was established. The retention of all the drugs was decreased notably by using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, while 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium methylsulfate reduced gradient drift drastically when compared to triethylamine.     

The use of mobile phase pH and column temperature to reverse the retention order of enantiomers on chiral-AGP®

Summary Enantiomeric separation of mosapride and a structurally related compound was performed using chiral chromatography and experimental design. Unique effects of mobile phase pH and column temperature made it possible to control the elution order of the enantiomers when using Chiral-AGP as the solid phase. At a low mobile phase pH (<6) the (R)-enantiomer of mosapride elutes before the (S)-form whereas the (S)-enantiomer elutes first at a high mobile phase pH (>6). By using a mobile phase pH around 6, the column temperature could also be used to control the elution order of the enantiomers of mosapride. Similar effects of mobile phase pH and column temperature were obtained for the enantiomers of a structurally related compound, a metabolite (M1). Isocratic chromatographic systems made it possible to determine enantiomeric impurities less than 0.1% in the respective enantiomer of mosapride. The enantiomers of mosapride as well as the enantiomers of M1 could easily be separated simultaneously using Chiral-AGP and a simple gradient elution. Part of this work has been presented as lectures at HPLC'96 in San Francisco USA, at AAPS-96 in Seattle USA and as a poster at HPLC'95 in Innsbruck Austria.