Structural modifications of dicationic acetylcholinesterase reactivators studied under ion‐pairing mechanism in reversed‐phase liquid chromatography

A study focused on the chromatographic behavior of several acetylcholinesterase reactivators under ion‐pairing mechanism is reported. Among these reactivators, dicationic oximes and carbamoyl‐based pyridinium congeners were studied, which form ion pairs with alkylsulfonate anions. This mechanism was studied for some major experimental parameters, such as the chain length of the ion‐pairing agent added to the aqueous phase, its concentration, temperature, and nature of the organic modifier from mobile phase. Retention data showed one or two possibilities of forming ion pairs and the tautomerism of the studied reactivators, for different pH values of the aqueous component. Double sigmoid shapes were obtained for the studied compounds for the dependence between retention factor and pH, indicating the possibility of one or two tautomeric equilibria: at pH close to 7 these compounds are not stable as dicationic species and they participate in the retention process as nitroso forms, which are not able to form ion pairs with alkylsulfonates. The dependences of the retention factor on the organic modifier content from mobile phase were linear. Two complementary theoretical models were used to explain the functional dependences for the retention data on the experimental parameters.