A Simple Synthetic Route For The Preparation of A Reversed-Phase Stationary Phase Based on Monosized-Porous Hydrogel Beads And Its Chromatographic Use For Separation Of Small Molecules

Abstract

New polyacrylate-based monosized-porous polymer beads were proposed as a stationary phase for the separation of polar compounds by microbore reversed-phase chromatography. For this purpose, monosized-porous poly(glycerol dimethacrylate-co-glycerol-1,3-diglycerolate diacrylate), poly(GDMA-co-GDGDA), beads with hydroxyl functionality were synthesized by a modified seeded polymerization. The selected octa-decylating agent, stearoyl chloride (SC), was covalently attached onto the hydrophilic beads via a direct, single stage reaction with a simple synthetic route. SC attached-poly(GDMA-co-GDGDA) beads were slurry-packed into the microbore columns and used as separation medium microbore reversed-phase chromatography. The stationary phase was used for separation of alkylbenzenes and polar analytes by micro reversed-phase chromatography, using mobile phases with low acetonitrile content. Theoretical plate number (TPN) values up to 12,000 plates m(-1) and 10,000 plates m-1 for alkylbenzenes and polar analytes, respectively, were achieved. The results also showed that poly(GDMA-co-GDGDA) hydrogel beads are a promising starting material for a number of chromatographic applications like reversed-phase (RP) chromatography, hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC), ion-exchange chromatography (IEC), and affinity chromatography with a single-stage surface modification.