OPTIMIZATION OF SEPARATIONS OF ALKYL-SUBSTITUTED PHENOLATE ANIONS BY CAPILLARY ZONE ELECTROPHORESIS

Anions of alkylphenols have very similar electrophoretic mobilities in CZE owing to their very small differences in size and the narrow rang e of their pK(a) values. By studying electrophoretic mobility as a fun ction both of pH and of the amount of acetonitrile in the electrolyte solution, optimum separation conditions were determined. It was possib le to separate a group of methyl-substituted phenols, including severa l positional isomers, Mixtures containing n-propyl and isopropyl pheno ls and 1 degrees, 2 degrees, and 3 degrees butylphenols could be resol ved.