Novel Monolithic Stationary Phase with Surface-Grafted Triphenyl Selector for Reversed-Phase Capillary Electrochromatography

A triphenylmethylamine-functionalized monolithic capillary column was newly designed for reversed-phase capillary electrochromatographic applications. Incorporation of the three phenyl rings-containing selector (also referred to as trityl selector) was achieved through post-polymerization functionalization of a generic monolithic matrix bearing nucleophilic-sensitive hydroxysuccinimide moieties. Such a 3D polymer matrix was obtained through UV-induced in situ free radical copolymerization of N-acryloxysuccinimide and ethylene dimethacrylate. The separation properties of the trityl monolithic capillary column were initially evaluated vis-à-vis polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, as model hydrophobic compounds, and compared to the separation ability of a benzylamine-functionalized monolithic capillary column prepared using the same generic monolithic matrix. Electrochromatographic separation of phenols and anilines was also considered, and our preliminary results suggest the occurrence of hydrophobic interactions due to the aromatic and non-polar nature of the surface-grafted trityl selector. The triphenyl monolithic capillary column exhibited relative standard deviation values (% RSD) below 4.1 % for the here-studied chromatographic parameters, namely, retention factor, selectivity, resolution, and efficiency.