Ion-exchange and hydrophobic interactions affecting selectivity for neutral and charged solutes on three structurally similar agglomerated ion-exchange and mixed-mode stationary phases

The nature and extent of mixed-mode retention mechanisms evident for three structurally related, agglomerated, particle-based stationary phases were evaluated. These three agglomerated phases were Thermo Fisher ScientificIon PacAS11-HC – strong anion exchange, Thermo Fisher Scientific IonPac CS10 – strong cation-exchange PS-DVB, and the Thermo Fisher Scientific Acclaim Trinity P1silica-based substrate, which is commercially marketed as a mixed-mode stationary phase. All studied phases can exhibit zwitterionic and hydrophobic properties, which contribute to the retention of charged organic analytes. A systematic approach was devised to investigate the relative ion-exchange capacities and hydrophobicities for each of the three phases, together with the effect of eluent pH upon selectivity, using a specifically selected range of anionic, cationic and neutral aromatic compounds. Investigation of the strong anion-exchange column and the Trinity P1 mixed-mode substrate, in relation to ion-exchange capacity and pH effects, demonstrated similar retention behaviour for both the anionic and ampholytic solutes, as expected from the structurally related phases. Further evaluation revealed that the ion-exchange selectivity of the mixed-mode phase exhibited properties similar to that of the strong anion-exchange column, with secondary cation-exchange selectivity, albeit with medium to high anion-exchange and cation-exchange capacities, allowing selective retention for each of the anionic, cationic and ampholytic solutes. Observed mixed-mode retention upon the examined phases was found to be a sum of anion- and cation-exchange interactions, secondary ion-exchange and hydrophobic interactions, with possible additional hydrogen bonding. Hydrophobic evaluation of the three phases revealed log P values of 0.38–0.48, suggesting low to medium hydrophobicity. These stationary phases were also benchmarked against traditional reversed-phase substrates namely, octadecylsilica YMC-Pac Pro C18 and neutral μPS-DVB resin IonPac NS1-5u, yielding log P values of 0.57 and 0.52, respectively.     

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy as a highly sensitive tool for a dynamic interaction study between heparin and antithrombin: a novel antithrombin sensor

Specific recognition between two biological partners is widely exploited in biosensors nowadays. To explore this avenue, a novel biosensor for antithrombin (AT) detection was constructed. Heparin was used as the affinity ligand.A well-known acrylic monomer (butyl methacrylate) was polymerized and grafted onto the heparin polysaccharide by the use of ceric ammonium nitrate as a redox initiator in aqueous nitric acid medium. Polymers were deposited as a thin layer onto surface of stainless steel electrode (SS316L).The obtained polymers were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).Moreover, the films were characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), contact-angle measurements and AFM.EIS was used to study the biosensor affinity to AT and the relationship between functionalization growth of modified electrode and the response of the sensor.The proposed approach appears to be simple, sensitive and correlated with methods that analyse the detection of antithrombin.     

Retention behavior and selectivity of a latex nanoparticle pseudostationary phase for electrokinetic chromatography

The retention characteristics and separation selectivity of a novel latex nanoparticle (NP) pseudostationary phase (PSP) for electrokinetic chromatography have been characterized. The anionic NPs have very low or no affinity for cationic solutes, but show significant interactions and retention based on hydrophobic interactions. Retention factors of alkyl-phenyl ketones increase linearly with the concentration of the NPs and have zero or near zero y-intercepts as expected for electrokinetic chromatography with non-micellar PSPs. The retention factors of these solutes and representative pharmaceuticals decrease logarithmically with increases in the concentration of ACN in the background electrolyte, as expected for reversed-phase retention. Linear solvation energy relationship analysis indicates that the NPs are less cohesive than would be expected for polymeric PSPs with similar structure but that the overall separation selectivity can be expected to be similar to polymer PSPs with similar backbone chemistry. The results indicate that the hydrophobic core of the NPs is non-cohesive and is highly accessible to solutes, whereas the ionic head groups are not as accessible and do not contribute substantially to retention or selectivity.     

The nonclassical noncovalent interactions control: A case study of the crystal structure of 3,5-dibromo-2-amino-4,6-dimethylpyridinium tetrahalocuprate [3,5-DBr-2-A-4,6-DMPH]2CuX4 (X = Cl, and Br)

The compound [3,5-dibromo-2-amino-4,6-dimethylpyridinium]₂CuCl₄, (1), was prepared from acidic hydrochloric acetonitrilic medium containing CuCl₂ and 3,5-dibromo-2-amino-4,6-dimethylpyridinium bromide while [3,5-dibromo-2-amino-4,6-dimethylpyridinium]₂CuBr₄, (2), from acidic HBr/Br₂ ethanolic medium containing 4,6-dimethylpyridine and CuBr₂. The ring got dibrominated at 3 and 5 positions in situ. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction proved the compounds to be isomorphous in P − 1. A systematic study of the crystallographic parameters in dibrominated and nonbrominated 2-amino-4,6-dimethylpyridine salts will explain the role of nonclassical noncovalent interaction between aryl bromine and ionic metal bromide in the control of structure.