Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane-functionalized silica particles and their application for hydrophilic interaction chromatography

• Published in: Journal of separation science Vol. 33; no. 19; pp. 2965 - 2976
• Main Authors: Bui, Nhat Thi Hong, Verhage, Jeroen J, Irgum, Knut
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Wiley-VCH Verlag 01.10.2010; WILEY-VCH Verlag; WILEY‐VCH Verlag
• Subjects: anion exchange; Anion exchanging; Chromatography; Grafting; Hydrophilic interaction chromatography; hydrophilic interactions; nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; nucleotides; organic acids and salts; Polymerization; porosity; Reflectance; Ring opening; Separation; Silica; Silicon dioxide; surface area; Trishydroxymethyl aminomethane; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
• ISSN: 1615-9306; 1615-9314; 1615-9314
• DOI: 10.1002/jssc.201000154

A new method is presented for synthesizing a highly hydrophilic silica-based material for use in hydrophilic interaction chromatography. Porous silica particles used as a starting substrate were modified with 3-bromopropyl trichlorosilane and grafted with glycidyl methacrylate by controlled ("living") atom transfer radical polymerization in order to introduce an oxirane-carrying reactive tentacle layer on the silica surface. The grafted material was thereafter subject to an oxirane ring opening reaction with tris(hydroxy-methyl)aminomethane in dimethylformamide to yield a polymer-bound equivalent of the well known and highly hydrophilic "TRIS" buffering substance. Chemical characterization was done by diffuse reflectance FT-IR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and ¹H NMR. Porosity and surface area examination was done with Brunauer-Emmett-Teller. Chromatographic application of the material was evaluated by separations of nucleic bases, small organic acids, and common nucleotides under mixed hydrophilic interaction chromatography and weak anion exchange conditions.