Retention of ionizable compounds on HPLC. Modelling retention for neutral and ionizable compounds by linear solvation energy relationships

Summary A global LSER model that relates HPLC retention to mobile phase composition and pH is tested for a varied group of solutes, both neutral and ionizable, in a polymeric column and methanol-water mobile phases. It is compared to the local LSER model developed only for a given mobile phase, i.e., a fixed organic modifier content, and to the global LSER model set only for neutral solutes. The global LSER model for neutral and ionizable solutes requires a few supplementary parameters over the other models tested, but it accounts for retention under any experimental conditions for a given column and methanol-water mobile phases, describing properly the interactions established in the HPLC system (hydrophobicity, hydrogen-bond acidity and basicity, dipolarity/polarizability…). This paper is number 13 of a series with the same general title: “Retention of Ionizable Compounds on HPLC” published in various journals.     

Prediction of internal standards in reversed-phase liquid chromatography. III. Evaluation of an alternative solvation parameter model to correlate and predict the retention of ionizable compounds

This paper describes the results of the evaluation of an alternative solvation parameter model for ionizable compounds. The new model is described as Log(k) = Int + rR2 + spi2(H) + asigmaalpha2(H) + bsigmabeta2(H) + mVx + U/(1 + V10 (+/-(pH-Pk))). The first six terms are the usual solvation parameter equation for neutral solutes, and the last term represents the contribution to retention from the ionization of solutes. Retention data obtained for 30 solutes in acetonitrile/aqueous buffer mobile phases are used to evaluate the capability of the function using different pH/pK scales. Because the function is not linear, nonlinear least-squares analysis is used to perform the data processing. It is concluded that the model function describes similarly the retention of ionizable compounds to the literature model without the need to accurately measure the mobile phase pH and solute's pK. Accordingly, the function simplifies the application of linear solvation energy relationships (LSERs) to ionizable compounds, and allows us to easily predict their retention for chromatographic optimization.     

Effect of n-octanol in the mobile phase on lipophilicity determination by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography on a modified silica column

In this study, we show that the addition of n-octanol to the mobile phase improves the chromatographic determination of lipophilicity parameters of xenobiotics (neutral solutes, acidic, neutral and basic drugs) on a Phenomenex Gemini C18 column. The Gemini C18 column is a new generation hybrid silica-based column with an extended pH range capability. The wide pH range (2-12) afforded the examination of basic drugs and acidic drugs in their neutral form. Extrapolated retention factor values, [Formula: see text] , obtained on the above column with the n-octanol-modified mobile phase were very well correlated (1:1 correlation) with literature values of logP (logarithm of the partition coefficient in n-octanol/water) of neutral compounds and neutral drugs (69). In addition, we found good linear correlations between measured [Formula: see text] values and calculated values of the logarithm of the distribution coefficient at pH 7.0 (logD(7.0)) for ionized acidic and basic drugs (r(2)=0.95). The Gemini C18 phase was characterized using the linear solvation energy relationship (LSER) model of Abraham. The LSER system constants for the column were compared to the LSER constants of n-octanol/water extraction system using the Tanaka radar plots. The comparison shows that the two methods are nearly equivalent.     

Characterization of a novel pyridinium bromide surface confined ionic liquid stationary phase for high-performance liquid chromatography under normal phase conditions via linear solvation energy relationships

Utilizing linear solvation free energy relationship methodology, a novel pyridinium bromide surface confined ionic liquid (SCIL) stationary phase was characterized under normal phase high-performance liquid chromatographic conditions. A limited set of neutral aromatic probe solutes were utilized to rapidly assess the utility of the LSER model, using mobile phases of hexane modified with 2-propanol. The excellent correlation of the global fit across the mobile phase composition range used in this study for the experimental and calculated retention values (R(2)=0.994) indicates that the LSER model is an appropriate model of characterizing this polar bonded phase under normal phase conditions. For a limited subset of compounds, retention on the pyridinium bromide SCIL stationary phase is more highly correlated with that obtained on a cyano column than on a diol column under NP conditions.     

Determination of the n‐octanol/water partition coefficients of weakly ionizable basic compounds by reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography with neutral model compounds

A strategy to utilize neutral model compounds for lipophilicity measurement of ionizable basic compounds by reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography is proposed in this paper. The applicability of the novel protocol was justified by theoretical derivation. Meanwhile, the linear relationships between logarithm of apparent n‐octanol/water partition coefficients (logK_ow′′) and logarithm of retention factors corresponding to the 100% aqueous fraction of mobile phase (logk_w) were established for a basic training set, a neutral training set and a mixed training set of these two. As proved in theory, the good linearity and external validation results indicated that the logK_ow′′–logk_w relationships obtained from a neutral model training set were always reliable regardless of mobile phase pH. Afterwards, the above relationships were adopted to determine the logK_ow of harmaline, a weakly dissociable alkaloid. As far as we know, this is the first report on experimental logK_ow data for harmaline (logK_ow = 2.28 ± 0.08). Introducing neutral compounds into a basic model training set or using neutral model compounds alone is recommended to measure the lipophilicity of weakly ionizable basic compounds especially those with high hydrophobicity for the advantages of more suitable model compound choices and convenient mobile phase pH control.     

Effect of temperature on the chromatographic retention of ionizable compounds. III. Modeling retention of pharmaceuticals as a function of eluent pH and column temperature in RPLC

We propose a general simple equation for accurately predicting the retention factors of ionizable compounds upon simultaneous changes in mobile phase pH and column temperature at a given hydroorganic solvent composition. Only four independent experiments provide the input data: retention factors measured in two pH buffered mobile phases at extreme acidic and basic pH values (e. g., at least +/- 2 pH units far from the analyte pK(a)) and at two column temperatures. The equations, derived from the basic thermodynamics of the acid-base equilibria, additionally require the knowledge of the solute pK(a )and enthalpies of acid-base dissociation of both the solute and the buffer components in the hydroorganic solvent mixture. The performance of the predictive model is corroborated with the comparison between theoretical and experimental retention factors of several weak acids and bases of important pharmacological activity, in mobile phases containing different buffer solutions prepared in 25% w/w ACN in water and at several temperatures.     

Effect of temperature on the chromatographic retention of ionizable compounds. II. Acetonitrile-water mobile phases

The retentive behavior of weak acids and bases in reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) upon changes in column temperature has been theoretically and experimentally studied. The study focuses on examining the temperature dependence of the retention of various solutes at eluent pH close to their corresponding pKa values, and on the indirect role exerted by the buffer ionization equilibria on retention and selectivity. Retention factors of several ionizable compounds in a typical octadecylsilica column and using buffer solutions dissolved in 30% (v/v) acetonitrile as eluent at five temperatures in the range from 25 to 50 degrees C were carefully measured. Six buffer solutions were prepared from judiciously chosen conjugated pairs of different chemical nature. Their pKa values in this acetonitrile-water composition and within the range of 15-50 degrees C were determined potentiometrically. These compounds exhibit very different standard ionization enthalpies within this temperature range. Thus, whenever they are used to control mobile phase pH, the column temperature determines their final pH. Predictive equations of retention that take into account the temperature effect on both the transfer and the ionization processes are evaluated. This study demonstrates the significant role that the selected buffer would have on retention and selectivity in RPLC at temperatures higher than 25 degrees C, particularly for solutes that coelute.     

磷脂微乳电动色谱的定量结构保留关系研究

以大豆磷脂为主要的表面活性剂,制备适合毛细管电动色谱使用的不同构成比的微乳体系, 应用溶剂化参数模型研究了中性溶质在其中的定量结构保留关系.使用动态涂层毛细管, 以二甲基亚砜和十二烷基苯分别作为电渗流和微乳液滴迁移的标记物, 测定了26个具有不同结构小分子中性化合物在17种微乳电动色谱体系下的保留因子, 建立了线性溶剂化能量关系(LSER)方程.通过比较两体系的LSER方程系数比较体系相似性.结果表明, 本研究建立的磷脂微乳电动色谱体系在线性溶剂化特征上和其它构成的微乳电动色谱体系相似.对溶质保留贡献较大的是溶质体积和有效氢键碱度, 油相种类及浓度对溶质的保留选择性无明显影响.     

Effect of temperature on the retention of ionizable compounds in reversed-phase liquid chromatography: application to method development

The analysis of pharmaceutical compounds is often a difficult challenge which requires mathematical tools to improve the quality of the separation method. This work is an attempt to rationalize the anomalous variation of the logarithm of the retention factor with temperature in case of ionizable compounds. The effect of temperature on ionizable compounds was studied within a large range of temperature, ranging from 30 to 130 degrees C. The determination of the so-called chromatographic pKa and the study of its variation with temperature allow to explain why the forms of the van't Hoff curves are so different depending on the type of solute, the type of buffer and the type of the mobile phase. A retention model along with a computation procedure is proposed to optimize both temperature and mobile phase composition and to provide good and robust conditions as shown by illustrative examples.     

Quantitative structure-retention relationship studies using immobilized artificial membrane chromatography I: amended linear solvation energy relationships with the introduction of a molecular electronic factor

Linear solvation energy relationships (LSERs) amended by the introduction of a molecular electronic factor were employed to establish quantitative structure-retention relationships using immobilized artificial membrane (IAM) chromatography, in particular ionizable solutes. The chromatographic indices, log k(IAM), were determined by HPLC on an IAM.PC.DD2 column for 53 structurally diverse compounds, including neutral, acidic and basic compounds. Unlike neutral compounds, the IAM chromatographic retention of ionizable compounds was affected by their molecular charge state. When the mean net charge per molecule (delta) was introduced into the amended LSER as the sixth variable, the LSER regression coefficient was significantly improved for the test set including ionizable solutes. The delta coefficients of acidic and basic compounds were quite different indicating that the molecular electronic factor had a markedly different impact on the retention of acidic and basic compounds on IAM column. Ionization of acidic compounds containing a carboxylic group tended to impair their retention on IAM, while the ionization of basic compounds did not have such a marked effect. In addition, the extra-interaction with the polar head of phospholipids might cause a certain change in the retention of basic compounds. A comparison of calculated and experimental retention indices suggested that the semi-empirical LSER amended by the addition of a molecular electronic factor was able to reproduce adequately the experimental retention factors of the structurally diverse solutes investigated.     

Characterization of sorption mechanisms of solid-phase microextraction with volatile organic compounds in air samples using a linear solvation energy relationship approach

The linear solvation energy relationship (LSER) model was used to characterize interactions responsible for sorption of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air samples on six different solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibers at 296K and zero relative humidity. The polydimethylsiloxane and polyacrylate fibers sorption data were also modeled at different relative humidities in the range of 10-90% and influence of water vapors on the extraction process is discussed. The LSER equations were obtained by a multiple regression of the distribution coefficients of 14 probe solutes on an appropriate SPME fiber against the solvation parameters of the solutes. The derived LSER equations successfully predicted the VOC distribution coefficients and the selectivity of individual SPME fibers for the various volatile solutes. The LSER approach coupled with SPME is a relatively simple and reliable tool to rapidly characterize the sorption mechanism of VOCs with various stationary phases and may potentially be applied to design and test new chromatographic materials for sampling or separation of VOCs.