Application of linear solvation energy relationships to guide selection of polar modifiers in normal-phase liquid chromatographic separations Original Research Article

This paper describes the results of the use of linear solvation energy relationships (LSERs) to guide selection of different types of organic modifier for normal-phase liquid chromatographic (NPLC) separations. Based on the dominant retention factors on the column, the type of polar organic modifier is selected to have (and optimize) specific interactions with the stationary phase. As a result, the retention mechanism is essentially a pure displacement model, and the use of different modifiers will change the retention, but without a major change in selectivity. We demonstrate the application of this LSERs approach by the separations of several aromatic hydrocarbon mixtures on cyano column with hexane mobile phase.