HPLC of synthetic polymers

Summary Statistical copolymers of styrene and acrylonitrile have been separated by high performance precipitation chromatography according to the increase in acrylonitrile content. The separation mechanism was strongly depending on the combination of stationary phase and eluent composition. By applying a typical normal phase gradient from n-heptane (precipitation) to dichloromethane the polymers were adsorbed, after dissolution of the polar groups of the stationary phases. The elution curves became broader with increasing acrylonitrile content of the polymer. By the addition of 20% methanol to the dichloromethane the adsorption could be minimized and copolymer elution was dependent solely on solubility and independent of stationary phase polarity. Separation according to chemical composition was also possible without precipitation with a large pore silica and a normal phase gradient from dichloromethane to the same eluent containing 2.75% methanol.Part I see reference 19     

Gradient elution chromatography of polymers on reversed-phase columns with tetrahydrofuran as an eluent component

Summary The chromatographic separation of poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) samples (SAN) with an elution gradient iso-octane/tetrahydrofuran is solubility governed. This has been proven by the correspondence between the volume fraction of precipitant as estimated from elution data and as measured by turbidimetric titration, by the molar mass dependence of retention, and by the temperature effect on retention. In addition to these arguments data are presented which have been obtained on columns with different packing materials ranging from bare silica through CN bonded phase material to hydrocarbonaceous stationary phases. The eluent composition at peak position is nearly independent of the stationary phase used. Presented at the 15th International Symposium on Chromatography, Nürnberg, October 1984     

Evaluation of liquid chromatography column retentivity using macromolecular probes. III. Partition properties of C18 phases traced by polymers

Application of polymeric probes was proposed for evaluation of partition properties of the high performance liquid chromatographic stationary phases. The approach was tested with selected silica gel C-18 column packings. Polystyrene (PS) and poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (PnBMA) narrow molar mass standards of low polarity were applied to avoid adsorption of macromolecules on silanols and other polar groups present within column packings. Polar eluent components further reduced contingency of silanophilic interactions. The major eluent component was dimethylformamide (DMF), a thermodynamically poor solvent for polymer probes, which strongly promoted enthalpic partition of macromolecules in favor of the C18 bonded phase. Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) and diethyl malonate (DEM) were also tested as the partition promoting eluent components. With polystyrenes, MEK was rather inefficient as a partition promoter while DEM was similarly active as DMF. A thermodynamically good solvent for polymer probes, viz. tetrahydrofuran (THF) was added to eluent to reduce and control the extent of partition. The differences in elution behavior of column tested indicate their unlike partition properties.     

A simple method for measuring excess adsorption isotherms of organic eluent components on reversed‐phase packing materials

A simple frontal analysis method has been developed for the reliable measurement of excess adsorption isotherms of an organic component on reversed‐phase adsorbents in a series of programmed concentration steps. In the present method, a peak, which is produced by refractive index change in column eluate, is detected at 589 nm; it represents the elution volume of the boundary. The method is applied to the measurement of the excess adsorption isotherms of organic eluent components from water on commercially available reversed‐phase stationary phases. The results are in good agreement with the previously reported isotherms. We also measure the excess adsorption isotherms of organic eluent components from solutions containing electrolytes. There are not any interference peaks on the elution traces. The method is thus reliably applicable to the evaluation of the excess adsorption of organic eluent components in practical systems.     

Control of adsorption and solubility in gradient high performance liquid chromatography. Part 4. Sudden-transition gradient elution of styrene/ethyl methacrylate copolymers in reversed phase mode

Summary Copolymers from styrene and ethyl methacrylate have been separated according to composition byn-heptane gradients on a C18 bonded phase after injection into acetonitrile and subsequent sudden transition to a concentration of either dichloromethane or tetrahydrofuran between 30 and 50% or 20 and 50%, respectively. Acetonitrile is a polar non-solvent for the copolymers under investigation and ensures proper retention of the samples on a non-polar stationary phase. Dichloromethane and tetrahydrofuran are good solvents of moderate polarity. The addition of, e.g., 30 vol% of one of these solvents increased the dissolution power of the starting eluent but not to the extent necessary for elution. The latter was achieved by the addition ofn-heptane, which is a non-solvent for the polymers investigated. Thus, its eluting power must be understood as the consequence of its modifying effect on the polarity of the eluent mixture. The higher the content of copolymer in ethyl methacrylate the earlier it was eluted. Since acetonitrile andn-heptane are only partly miscible, phase diagrams were measured after the addition of either tetrahydrofuran or dichloromethane as a third component. Homogeneous mixtures were obtained on addition of about 30% solvent (one of both of the latter).Part 3: see Ref. [10]     

Unusual signal enhancement in reversed-phase chromatography of polystyrene monitored by UV detector

Summary Gradient elution of polystyrene standards on reversed phase C18 columns by methanol/tetrahydrofuran or methanol/dichloromethane mixtures yielded a strange effect of the molecular weight of the sample on the specific peak are (mAUs per g sample injected). The effect did not occur when pure dichloromethane was used as an eluent. Further to this, dependence of specific peak area on flow rate was observed in gradient elution with methanol/tetrahydrofuran mixtures. It was found that these effects were due to polymer elution at the verge of precipitation. Depending on the dwell time of the sample in the column, opalescence occurred that added to the UV signal used for monitoring the elution.     

Investigation of degradation mechanisms by portable Raman spectroscopy and thermodynamic speciation: the wall painting of Santa María de Lemoniz (Basque Country, North of Spain)

To characterise the polymeric properties of processed lignins, a new method has been developed using hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC). This method separates the lignin polymers into fractions based on differences in hydrophobicity using low pressure liquid chromatography (LPLC). The hydrophobic column material consists of monodisperse polystyrene/divinylbenzene beads. An elution gradient was prepared monitoring the electrolyte concentration and pH. Citric acid buffer, containing ammonium sulphate that promotes adsorption to the column material, was used as mobile phase in a step-wise gradient together with ethanol (20/80% (v/v) ethanol/water, pH 12) and isopropanol (40/60% (v/v) isopropanol/water, pH 12). Depending on eluent composition, the degree of elution was 94% or higher. With the HIC method developed, lignosulphonates and kraft lignins were separated into seven distinctive peaks according to hydrophobicity.     

Control of adsorption and solubility in gradient high performance liquid chromatography 1. Principles of sudden transition gradients and elution characteristics of copolymers from styrene and methacrylates

Summary Proper retention of polymers in high performance liquid chromatography often requires injection into a starting eluent which is not a solvent for the sample under investigation. In this case, the polymer is precipitated at the top of the column. Subsequent gradient elution has to be performed by addition of an eluent with sufficient chromatographic strength and solvent power. In normal phase chromatography, it must be a solvent of high polarity. With the gradient elutions reported so far, polarity and dissolution power were simultaneously increased.The present paper reports the separate control of solvent strength and chromatographic power by applying gradient programs which include sudden addition of a moderately polar solvent. The amount of the latter does not suffice for elution, which is performed by subsequent, controlled addition of a highly polar nonsolvent. Sudden transition gradients of this kind work with, e.g.,iso-octane as a nonpolar starting eluent, tetrahydrofuran as a solvent of intermediate polarity, and methanol as a strongly polar nonsolvent. They have been applied to copolymers from styrene and ethyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate, or methoxyethyl methacrylate.     

Separation of copoly(styrene/acrylonitrile) samples according to composition under reversed phase conditions

Summary Copoly(styrene/acrylonitrile) samples (S/AN) have been repeatedly separated according to composition by gradient HPLC with alkane hydrocarbons as a starting eluent A and dichloromethane (DCM) or tetrahydrofuran (THF) as a solvent B. In these systems, retention increased with AN content of the copolymers. The chemical nature of the column packings used had almost no influence on the retention of S/AN samples. The present paper shows thatn-pentane andn-heptane, when used in a given volumetric gradient with DCM+20% methanol as a solvent B, lead to identical solution characteristics of S/AN on silica columns. A similar result was obtained on C18 columns withn-heptane or cyclohexane, whereas gradient elution with toluene as a starting eluent caused insufficient resolution. Reversed phase separation of S/AN copolymers could be achieved on polystyrene gel columns through gradients with methanol as a starting eluent and DCM or THF as a solvent B. In both systems, retention decreased with increasing AN content of the copolymers. The elution characteristics were almost linear in the range 0–20 wt% AN. This behaviour can be understood in the context of polymer solubility: in both systems, the solubility borderline of S/AN has a distinct maximum at about 25 wt% AN. Reversed phase separation was achieved at the lefthand slope of these curves where the dissolution of a sample with a higher AN content requires less DCM or THF solvent than the dissolution of copolymers which are poorer in AN. This idea predicts that samples with more than 25 wt% AN should elute later than S/AN whose composition is near to the solubility maximum. This indeed was found with a copolymer containing 36.2 wt% AN.     

Application and comparison of immobilized and coated amylose tris-(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) chiral stationary phases for the enantioselective separation of beta-blockers enantiomers by liquid chromatography

A direct liquid chromatographic enantioselective separation of a set of β-blocker enantiomers on the new immobilized and conventional coated amylose tris-(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) chiral stationary phases (Chiralpak IA and Chiralpak AD, respectively) was studied using methanol as mobile phase and ethanolamine as an organic modifier (100:0.1, v/v). The separation, retention and elution order of the enantiomers on both columns under the same conditions were compared. The effect of the immobilization of the amylose tris-(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) chiral stationary phase on silica (Chiralpak IA) on the chiral recognition ability was noted when compared to the coated phase (Chiralpak AD) which possesses a higher resolving power than the immobilized one (Chiralpak IA). A few racemates, which were not or poorly resolved on the immobilized Chiralpak IA were most efficiently resolved on the coated Chiralpak AD. However, the immobilized phase withstand solvents like dichloromethane when used as an eluent or as a dissolving agent for the analyte. The versatility of the immobilized Chiralpak IA in monitoring reactions performed in dichloromethane using direct analysis techniques without further purification, workup or removal of dichloromethane was studied on a representative example consisting of the lipase-catalyzed irreversible transesterification of a β-blocker using either vinylacetate or isopropenyl acetate as acyl donor in dichloromethane as organic solvent.     

Chitosan-coated silica gel as a new support in high-performance liquid chromatography

Summary A new stationary phase was prepared by immobilizing the chitosan, a natural hydrophilic polymer, on microparticolate silica gel. The effect of the polarity, pH and ionic strength of the mobile phase has been studied in order to find optimal conditions for the separation of nucleotides and aminoacids. The influence of the properties of the mobile phase on the retention was examined, allowing to employ the chitosan-coated silica gel both to anion exchange and adsorption, depending on the pH and the polarity of the eluent used.     

Interconversion of gradient and isocratic retention data in reversed-phase liquid chromatography: Effect of the uptake of eluent modifier on the retention of analytes

The experimental technique of mass spectrometric tracer pulse chromatography was used to study the effect of the sorption of eluent components by a C₁₈-bonded silica RPLC packing on the retention of a series of test analytes during isocratic and gradient elution experiments. The analytes of interest were a substituted phenol, a substituted nitroaniline, an anti-malaria drug, tetrahydrofuran, and methanol. The eluent used was a mixture of acetonitrile and water. The solutes and isotopically labeled eluent components were injected at fixed time intervals during each gradient run. The mass specific detector allowed the assignment of individual analyte peaks even when there was overlap in the chromatograms from successive injections. Thus, the retention time of each analyte could be determined as a function of gradient slope and initial eluent composition at the time of each injection. Experimental gradient retention time data were then compared with the calculated results from two theoretical models. The first model assumed the velocity of the mobile phase and eluent were equal. The second and most realistic model assumed the velocity of the eluent was less than the velocity of the mobile phase due to the uptake of eluent by the stationary phase. Gradient retention times predicted by the two models were reasonably accurate with the sorption model giving slightly more accurate values. Inverse calculations, i.e., calculation of isocratic retention factors from gradient elution data were also carried out with very similar results. That is, the model allowing for the uptake of eluent was slightly more accurate than the model assuming no eluent-stationary phase interaction.     

Sample size and retention values in gradient liquid chromatography of synthetic polymers

Summary Retention times in gradient liquid chromatography of synthetic polymers are often dependent on sample size. They increase with column load if the separation mechanism is governed by a solution process but decrease with increasing load if the mechanism is governed by adsorption. Since retention times independent of sample size are a prerequisite for peak identification as well as for the correct measurement of elution bands of samples with a broad distribution, measures to counteract sample-size effects deserve attention. Usually both solubility and adsorption are effective in gradient liquid chromatography of synthetic polymers. An appropriate balance of both effects is suitable for diminishing the influence of sample size on retention time of synthetic polymers. Ternary gradients allowing independent control of solubility and adsorption are promising.     

Chromatographic behaviour of low molar-mass polyesters in normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

Summary The normal-phase chromatographic retention behaviour of polyesters on bare silica and on a polymer-based polyamine (PA) column has been studied with a variely of binary mobile phases under isocratic conditions. The dependence of experimental retention data on the degree of polymerization (p) and on mobile phase composition (φ) was characterized by to an approach developed by Jandera et al. The bulky repeating unit and the relatively highly polar end groups of the polyesters both had a large influence on retention behaviour. The two effects in combination explain the molar-mass-independent retention observed experimentally at a particular mobile phase composition for all the mobile phase—stationary phase combinations investigated. These conditions were found to be independent of the type of end group. End group separation on a silica column improves when the polarity of the less polar solvent is increased. End group separation is better on the PA column because of a greater difference between the adsorption energy of the alcohol and acid end groups. Better prediction of retention data on the PA column was achieved by use of an approach which assumes two different types of adsorption site. Results enabled further understanding of retention behaviour in normalphase gradient polymer-elution chromatography (NPGPEC) and explained both the dependence of the order of elution onp and differences between the end-group selectivity of different systems.     

Polyethyleneimine Immobilized on Silica Endcapped with Octadecyl Groups as a Stationary Phase for RP-LC

A new reversed stationary phase was prepared, based on thermal immobilization of trimethoxysilylpropyl modified polyethyleneimine onto silica particles endcapped with octadecyl molecules. The physicochemical and morphological properties of the stationary phase were characterized by solid state cross-polarization and magic angle spinning ²⁹Si nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy, porosimetry, and elemental analysis. For the studies on reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) retention, separation of the established Tanaka and Engelhardt test mixtures was performed. The stationary phase showed a typical partition mechanism for the reversed phase; however, the low hydrophobicity required a low organic content solvent in the mobile phase for chromatographic separation of more hydrophobic compounds. The stationary phase also showed low residual silanol activity for the elution of basic compounds due to the protection offered by octadecyl endcapped molecules and the competition provided by the imine groups of the polymeric layer. The proposed stationary phase possesses interesting selectivity and is convenient for applications requiring the separation of more retentive compounds in conventional HPLC columns using more aqueous mobile phases.     

High performance liquid chromatography of raw sugars and polyols using bonded silica gels

Summary Bonded silica columns have been evaluated for their ability to separate carbohydrates and polyols. Mobile phases consisting of dichloromethane/methanol produced the best separations in comparison with the acetonitrile/water mixtures commonly used with amino columns. Of all the bonded phases tested, LiChrospher Diol silica provided the best separations, and selectivities were not very different from those obtained on the most popular system using an amino bonded phase and acetonitrile/water as eluent. In addition, diol columns with a dichloromethane/methanol eluent offer excellent stability with no Schiffs base formation of reducing sugars. Using an evaporative light scattering detector, low limit detection is obtainable (20 ng of glucose from a column) and gradient elution is quite feasible.     

Separation of copolymers using high-performance liquid chromatography with polymeric stationary phase and liquefied carbon dioxide as adsorption promoting solvent

Chromatographic separation of copolymers depending on the chemical composition was studied by a solvent gradient method using liquefied carbon dioxide (CO2) as an adsorption promoting solvent. As the high polar stationary phase, non-bonded silica gel, crosslinked acrylamide (AA) gel and crosslinked acrylonitrile (AN) gel were utilized. All columns showed the typical normal phase type of adsorption. Polymeric stationary phases showed the higher sample recovery for styrene-methyl methacrylate (St-MMAs) copolymers, indicating suitability for quantitative analyses. The separations of butyl methacrylate (BMA)-methyl methacrylate, and 2,2,3,3,4,4,4-heptafluorobutyl methacrylate (FBMA)-methy methacrylate copolymers were also carried out, and the latter copolymers were separated based on the CO2-philicity with acrylonitrile column.     

Critical Conditions and Limiting Conditions in Liquid Chromatography of Synthetic Polymers

Distinctions between liquid chromatography of synthetic polymers under critical conditions (LC CC) and liquid chromatography under limiting conditions (LC LC) are elucidated. Surface adsorption retention mechanism of macromolecules is employed in the chromatographic systems composed of 10 and 30 nm pore diameter bare silica gels, poly (methyl methacrylate)s of different molar masses, and mixed eluents acetonitrile/dichloromethane of different compositions, and at different temperatures. Increased robustness of the LC LC methods compared to LC CC is confirmed: the LC LC elution behavior is much less sensitive to eluent composition changes compared to LC CC. Still, the LC CC system under study is, surprisingly robust in terms of temperature variations. LC LC methods produce narrow, focused polymer peaks while a peak broadening is observed in LC CC. The results demonstrate importance of sample solvent applied in the isocratic coupled polymer HPLC methods.     

Optimisation and characterisation of silica-based reversed-phase liquid chromatographic systems for the analysis of basic pharmaceuticals

Reversed-phase liquid chromatography using silica-based columns is successfully applied in many separations. However, also some drawbacks exist, i.e. the analysis of basic compounds is often hampered by ionic interaction of the basic analytes with residual silanols present on the silica surface, which results in asymmetrical peaks and irreproducible retention. In this review, options to optimise the LC analysis of basic pharmaceutical compounds are discussed, i.e. eluent optimisation (pH, silanol blockers) and stationary phase optimisation (development of new columns with minimised ionic interactions). The applicability of empirical based, thermodynamically based and test methods based on a retention model to characterise silica-based reversed phase stationary phases, as well as the influence of the eluent composition on the LC analysis of basic substances is described. Finally, the applicability of chemometrical techniques in column classification is shown.     

Solvation processes on phenyl‐bonded stationary phases—The influence of polar functional groups

A series of phenyl‐bonded stationary phases with incorporated polar functional groups was subjected to an adsorption investigation. Measurement of acetonitrile and methanol adsorption was obtained using the minor disturbance method. It was observed that adsorption of organic solvent strongly depends on the presence of polar functional groups in the bonded phases that influence the hydrophobicity and polarity of the stationary phase surface. Additionally, relative adsorption of acetonitrile and methanol confirms earlier observations, that the presence of amine and amide groups in the stationary phase changes the relative elution strength of organic solvents. The heterogeneous surface of the stationary phase makes it possible to observe the competitiveness of the water and organic solvent adsorption.