SILVER (I)-MEDIATED SEPARATIONS BY NONAQUEOUS CAPILLARY-ELECTROPHORESIS - NONAQUEOUS ARGENTATION ELECTROPHORESIS

This study represents the first application of Ag(I) charge transfer c omplexation in nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis. This method appli es the principles of argentation chromatography to nonaqueous electrop horetic separations and is termed ''nonaqueous argentation electrophor esis'', Since the separations are performed in 100% nonaqueous media, the advantages of nonaqueous solvents, such as enhanced solubility and flexibility in selectivity enhancement, compared to an aqueous or mix ed hydroorganic solvent, are realized, A variety of compounds were sep arated, Qualitatively, the separation of eleven sulfonamides in 100% a cetonitrile is shown to improve greatly upon the addition of Ag(I), Th ese results also show that nonaqueous argentation electrophoresis prov ides fast, well-resolved separations of compounds, such as N-containin g heterocyclics, that can selectively complex with Ag(I). Migration da ta and separation selectivities of these compounds by nonaqueous argen tation electrophoresis were compared to previous aqueous argentation e lectrophoresis results. Selectivities were found to be significantly d ifferent for the two separation media. Ag(I) complexation provides an effective means of manipulating selectivity in nonaqueous capillary el ectrophoresis.