Controlling selectivity of polymer‐based monolithic stationary phases

In this work, we aimed to prepare a monolithic capillary column that allowed an isocratic separation of ten dopamine precursors and metabolites in a single run. Segments of five zwitterion sulfobetaine polymer monoliths have been modified by zwitterion phoshorylcholine by using an ultraviolet‐initiated two‐step photografting. Columns with 0, 33, 50, 66, and 100% of modified length were prepared. Effect of length of the modified segment and mobile phase composition has been tested. All columns provided dual‐retention mechanism with reversed‐phase retention in highly aqueous mobile phase and hydrophilic interaction mechanism in highly organic mobile phase. The retention mechanism was controlled by the composition of the mobile phase and has been described by a three‐parameter model. We have used regression parameters to characterize the retention of analyzed compounds and to study individual pathways of dopamine metabolism. Comprehensive optimization of mobile phase composition allowed to find an optimal composition of the mobile phase and stationary phase surface chemistry arrangement to achieve desired separation. Optimized columns provided an isocratic separation of all tested compounds in less than nine min.