Synthesis of ionic liquids and their applications in capillary electrophoresis

Abstract

A series of ionic liquids (ILs) were synthesized and their properties were investigated. The IL-cations are UV active and their electrophoretic mobilities are relatively stable over a wide pH range, making them suitable as background chromophores in capillary electrophoresis. After the capillary being coated with ILs, its electroosmotic flow was reversed and could be controlled by manipulating the coating-reaction time. The IL-coated capillary was employed in separation of DNA as well as sildenafil and its metabolite. With ILs as both background electrolytes and coating materials, 11 metal ions were baseline separated. Fast separation of 7 phenoxy and benzoic acid herbicides was accomplished by using IL as additive. A solid-phase extraction procedure was developed and combined with the above CE method for determination of residual herbicides in real water sample.