SEPARATION OF HYDROGEN-BONDING DONORS IN CAPILLARY ELECTROPHORESIS USING POLYETHERS AS MATRIX

Addition of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as a free matrix was found to be a novel separation parameter in capillary zone electrophoresis. In the separation of substituted and unsubstituted benzoic acids used as model analytes, attractive interaction with PEG was observed for the a nalytes with hydroxyl, amide, or amine groups. This interaction is att ributable to hydrogen bond formation. The concentration and the polyme r length of PEG can control the net strength of the interaction and th en the observed separation. This capillary electrophoresis using the h ydrogen-bonding mode was successfully applied to the separation of nuc leotides.