Gradient elution in counter-current chromatography: a new layout for an old path

Gradient elution in CCC is a powerful tool, which needs further systematic development to become robust and easy to use. The first attempt to build a correlation between gradient elution profile and distribution ratio (K(D)) values for model mixtures containing typical representatives of pharmaceutical compounds is presented in this paper. The three step estimation of the solvent system composition of a heptane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water (HEMWat) series is described. The estimation is based on simple measurements of initial and final stationary phase retention for gradient elution run, calculating gradient distribution ratio and correlating it with static K(D) against HEMWat number.