Stationary phase effects in reversed-phase chromatography II. Substituent selectivities for retention on various hydrocarbonaceous bonded phases

Summary Linear free-energy relationships are manifest in the linear dependence of the logarithmic retention factor on the carbon number for homologous series in reversedphase chromatography and allow the comparison of the free-energy increments of substituents for retention of a given elute by different stationary phases. Three methods were used for such comparison. In the first two, methylene group selectivities obtained from retention data obtained with homologous series on different hydrocarbonanceous bonded phases were compared by using different approaches. In the third method the energetics of retention of the end groups such as phenyl-, bromo- and disulfide-moieties of homologous series were examined. The results show that at fixed mobile phase composition and temperature the free energy increments due to methylene groups upon retention by alkyl-silica stationary phases are identical. Only hydrocarbonaceous bonded phases with short (C₁–C₂) alkyl chains or functional groups of unusual shape show consistent differences from octyl- or octadecyl-silicas. The results broaden the theoretical basis for the development of quantitative structure-retention relationships to be used for the prediction or interpretation of retention data in reversed-phase chromatography.Part I: ref. 23]Dedicated to Professor István Halász for his six tieth birthday.