Investigation of derivatizing agents for polar solutes in supercritical fluid chromatography

Abstract

Supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) is a chromatographic technique with certain advantages over both liquid and gas chromatography (GC); however, the analysis of polar solutes by SFC can be difficult due to long retention times and peak tailing. Although chemical derivatization has been extensively used in GC, it has received little attention as a method for lowering the polarity of solutes in SFC. A systematic study of common derivatizing agents has been conducted to examine their utility in derivatizing polar solutes and for improving peak shapes in SFC. Unique derivatizing agents, particularly those with large blocking groups, have also been investigated as a means of reducing the polarity of certain functional groups more efficiently. A summary of derivatizing agents in terms of their ability to derivatize polar functional groups is provided.