Ranking and similarity for quantitative structure–retention relationship models in predicting Lee retention indices of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons Original Research Article

Quantitative structure–(chromatographic) retention relationship (QSRR) models for prediction of Lee retention indices for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were gathered from the literature and the predictive performances of models were compared. Numerous Lee retention indices (46) were served as a reliable basis for ranking by a recently developed novel method of ordering based on the sum of ranking differences (SRD) [TrAC, Trends Anal. Chem. 29 (2010) 101–109], by which the best model can be selected easily. Two kinds of references for ranking were accepted, average (consensus) and the experimental retention indices. Leave-many-out cross validation of the SRD procedure provides an easy way to group similar models. Significant differences among models can be revealed by using Wilcoxonʹs matched pair test.