Substituent interaction effects in aromatic molecules in RP-HPLC with acetonitrile-water and tetrahydrofuran-water eluents

Summary Retention volumes of monosubstituted benzenes, benzoic acids, phenols and anilines have been measured in reversed-phase liquid chromatography. Buffered acetonitrile-water and tetrahydrofuran-water eluents were used with an octadecylsilylsilica adsorbent. From the net retention volumes a substituent interaction effect was calculated and described with the linear free energy relationship developed by Taft. The positive sign of the values of the -parameters, figuring in this relationship, was interpreted in terms of hydrogen bonding between the solutes and the eluent.