Synthesis, chromatographic evaluation and hydrophilic interaction/reversed-phase mixed-mode behavior of a “Click β-cyclodextrin” stationary phase

A native β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) stationary phase was prepared by covalently bonding β-CD on silica particles via Huisgen [3 + 2] dipolar cycloaddition between the organic azide and terminal alkyne, the so-called Click chemistry. The resulting β-CD bonded silica (Click β-CD) was characterized by FT-IR, solid state 13C cross polarization/magic-angle spinning (CP/MAS) NMR and elemental analyses, which proved the successful immobilization of β-CD on the silica support with Click chemistry. The retentive properties of Click β-CD were investigated under hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) mode in different mobile phase conditions with a set of polar compounds including nucleosides, organic acids and alkaloids. The effects of water content, concentration of the salt and pH of the buffer solution on the retention time were studied and the results demonstrated the typical retention behavior of HILIC on Click β-CD. Separation of very polar components, such as nucleosides and oligosaccharides, and chiral separation under HILIC mode were successfully achieved. In addition, Click β-CD was chromatographically evaluated with a set of flavone glycosides. The retention curves depending on the mobile phase of acetonitrile content were “U” curves, which is an indication of HILIC/RPLC mixed-mode retention behavior. The difference of the separation selectivity between HILIC and RPLC was described as orthogonality by using geometric approach and the orthogonality reached 69.4%. The mixed-mode HPLC properties and excellent orthogonality demonstrated the flexibility in HPLC methods development and great potential in two-dimensional liquid chromatography separation.