Fluorinated lignands in HPLC

Summary

The chromatographic behaviour of C₆F₅(CH₂)₃SiCl₃, C₆H₅(CH₂)₃SiCl₃, CF₃(CF₂)₇CH₂CH₂SiCl₃ and n-C₁₀H₂₁SiCl₃ as well as the bonding of these ligands to silica is described. Phases with partially fluorinated ligands show entirely different chromatographic characteristics to analogous phases, where hydrogen replaces fluorine. The silica with the pentafluorophenyl-3-n-propyl-C₆F₅(CH₂)₃-ligand has higher k′-values and a better selectivity for aromatic hydrocarbons than that with phenyl-3-n-propyl C₆H₅(CH₂)₃-groups, whereas the phase with the fluorinated carbon chain is less useful than the silica modified with n-decyltrichlorosilane n-C₁₀H₂₁SiCl₃. The first effect can be explained by complex formation, and the second may be due to a different contact area between the ligand and the solute. The normal hydrocarbon chains hinder each other sterically and expose many adsorption sites, in contrast the perfluorinated chains are sterically fixed and are the first example of “real brushes” in HPLC.