Effects of Counter Ions in Ion-Pair Liquid Chromatography of Hydrophobic Amines on Non-Polar Bonded Phases

Abstract The retention behaviour of alprenolol and related hydrophobic amines in ion-pair adsorption systems has been examined with particular emphasis on the influence of different mono-and divalent counter ions (dihydrogenphosphate, bromide, perchlorate, dimethylcyclohexyl sulphate, sulphate and ethylenediaminetetraacetate). N,N-dimethyloctylamine (DMOA) and 1-pentanol were used as modifiers in the aqueous eluent and LiChrosorb RP-8 as stationary phase. The retention is evaluated according to a two-site adsorption model and equilibrium constants are given for ion pair adsorption of DMOA. The retention of alprenolol has been evaluated in terms of ion exchange with DMOA and the ion-exchange constants are shown to be of the same magnitude and independent of the nature of the counter ion used. The ion-pair adsorption and the ion-exchange approaches are analogous expressions for the distribution process governing the retention.