USE OF CALIXARENES TO MODIFY SELECTIVITIES IN CAPILLARY ELECTROPHORESIS

Calixarenes are macrocyclic oligomers having the shape of a conicalvase. Its inner cavity can accommodate various guest molecules, in similarity to other macrocyclic molecules-such as crown ethers and cyclodextrins. Thus, calixarenes can be used to manipulate selectivities in chromatography and in capillary electrophoresis. We report here initial results that demonstrate the value of calixarenes as selectivity modifiers in capillary electrophoresis. Retention behaviors of chlorinated phenols, benzenediols, and toluidines in the presence of p-sulfonate calix[6]arene was investigated. The separation was carried out under conditions where the solutes are uncharged and largely unresolved. The addition of the calixarene, which forms complexes with the solutes, facilitated the separation. The influence of the calix[6]arene concentration was studied in various buffer conditions.