Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic separations of tocopherols

• Published in: Journal of Chromatography A Vol. 782; no. 1; pp. 25 - 32
• Main Authors: Abidi, S.L., Mounts, T.L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 03.10.1997; Elsevier
• Subjects: Analytical chemistry; Antioxidants; Chemistry; Chromatographic methods and physical methods associated with chromatography; Exact sciences and technology; Mobile phase composition; Other chromatographic methods; Stationary phases, LC; Tocopherols; Antioxidants; Tocopherols; Stationary phases, LC; Mobile phase composition; Capacity factor; Fluorescence detector; Separation; Phase composition; Aliphatic compound; Vitamin; HPLC chromatography; Antioxidant; Derivatization; Experimental study; Oxygen heterocycle; Mobile phase; Chroman derivatives; Reversed phase chromatography; Bicyclic compound; Phenols; Aromatic compound; Tocopherol; Acylation; Stationary phase
• DOI: 10.1016/S0021-9673(97)00471-8
• ISSN: 0021-9673

The retention behavior and separation characteristics of five natural products α-, β−, γ-, δ-, and ξ 2-tocopherols and their acetyl derivatives were studied by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-fluorescence detection. Investigated stationary phases included an octadecyl polyvinyl alcohol (ODPVA) column, several octadecylsilica (ODS) columns, and a pentafluorophenylsilica column. Mobile phases comprised methanol (or acetonitrile) and water at variable proportions. Separation factors for β- and γ-tocopherol isomers and capacity factors of the five tocopherols were determined under various conditions. The β- and γ-tocopherols were separable on ODPVA but not on ODS. However, the βγ pair was resolved with the latter column only as their ester derivatives. HPLC with mobile phases containing alkanols with carbon atoms greater than 2 favored the separation of the βγ pair on ODS and yielded results diametrically different but complementary with those obtained with the ODPVA phase. The combined effects of mobile phases, stationary phases and antioxidant structures on component separations were delineated.