Retention of Ionized Solutes in Reversed-Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Abstract

The mechanism of retention in reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography is affected by both solute-eluent interactions and the nature of the stationary phase. The hydrophobic expulsion of ionized solutes plays a major role in affecting solute behavior in the water-rich range of hydroorganic eluents. In the water-lean range of eluent composition, there is little hydrophobic expulsion, and specific interactions between the solute and surface can be observed. The nature of the surface affects the retention of a variety of ionized species, both large cations and anions. Octadecylsilane (ODS) bonded phases can exhibit two different binding sites: one exhibiting a weak interaction and the second a strong specific interaction with a solute. Styrenedivinylbenzene polymeric surfaces exhibit the potential for weak dispersion interactions, and in addition pi-bonding interactions with a solute. A variety of solutes have been injected in a water: methanol eluent system in order to assess solute-surface effects on reversed-phase supports.