EFFECTS OF BETA-CYCLODEXTRIN IN THE MOBILE PHASE ON THE RETENTION AND INDIRECT DETECTION OF NONELECTROLYTES IN REVERSED-PHASE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY .1. STUDY OF ALIPHATIC-ALCOHOLS

The influence of beta-cyclodextrin-p-nitrophenol complexes in a p-nitrophenol-containing mobile phase on the chromatographic behaviour of aliphatic alcohols has been investigated. Depending upon the carbon chain length of the alcohol, the injected samples are detected before or after the first "system peak". The sample retention and the slope of the calibration curves depend upon the beta-cyclodextrin concentration. The apparent molar absorptivity is maximal when the alcohol retention is close to the system peak. A comparison of these results to those obtained with an eluent devoid of beta-cyclodextrin shows poor sensitivity for the indirect detection of alcohols, demonstrating that beta-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes have some role in the mobile phase as detection enhancers.