Preparative purification of antibiotics for comparing hydrostatic and hydrodynamic mode counter-current chromatography and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography

Two modes allow the retention of the stationary phase in counter-current ch romatography (CCC): one is called "hydrodynamic" and the other "hydrostatic ". The analytical comparison between the two modes of CCC shows that it is necessary to carefully choose the mobile phase and the composition of the s olvent system depending on the mode of retention of the stationary phase. O n a semi-preparative scale, the two modes are similar towards obtained puri ties and yields (hourly and volumetric). CCC consequently consumes three ti mes less solvents than semi-preparative HPLC and enables the recovery of mi lligram amounts of pure compounds with purities higher than 95%. No prelimi nary extraction is required as opposed to semi-preparative HPLC. (C) 1999 E lsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.