Effect of solvent strength and temperature on retention for a polar-endcapped, octadecylsiloxane-bonded silica stationary phase with methanol–water mobile phases

Synergi™ Hydro-RP is a new type of polar-endcapped, octadecylsiloxane-bonded silica packing for reversed-phase liquid chromatography. Its retention properties as a function of solvent strength and temperature are evaluated from the change in retention factors over the composition range (0–70% v/v methanol) and temperature range (25–65 °C) using the solvation parameter model and response surface methodologies. The main factors that affect retention are solute size and hydrogen-bond basicity, with minor contributions from solute hydrogen-bond acidity, dipole-type and electron lone pair interactions. Within the easily accessible range for both temperature and solvent strength, the ability to change selectivity is much greater for solvent strength than temperature. Also, a significant portion of the effect of increasing temperature is to reduce retention without changing selectivity. Response surfaces for the system constants are smooth and non-linear, except for cavity formation and dispersion interactions (v system constant), which is linear. Modeling of the response surfaces suggests that solvent strength and temperature are not independent factors for the b, s and e system constants and for the model intercept (c term).