Chromatographic study on the high performance separation ability of a homochiral [Cu2(d-Cam)2(4,4′-bpy)]n based-column by using racemates and positional isomers as test probes

• A chiral MOF [Cu2(d-Cam)2(4,4′-bpy)]n was first explored as stationary phase in HPLC.
• Enantioseparations for several kinds of racemates on chiral MOF column were achieved.
• Excellent separations for positional isomers were obtained by the chiral MOF column.

This study focused on exploring the chromatographic characteristic of a homochiral MOF [Cu2(d-Cam)2(4,4′-bpy)]n with 3-D six-connected self-penetrating architectures for the separations of positional isomers and chiral compounds. Some effects such as mobile phase composition, column temperature, and analytes mass for separations on this chiral column also have been investigated. Among thirteen tested racemates, six compounds, namely three alcohols, a diol, a naphthol and a ketone were successfully discriminated, and ten useful positional isomers which have never been separated on other MOFs stationary phases in HPLC except dichlorobenzene and cresol isomers, were also analyzed by this chiral stationary phase. The results indicated that [Cu2(d-Cam)2(4,4′-bpy)]n exhibited good selectivity for positional isomers and enantiomers. Therefore, it is practicable that the separation of positional isomers and enantiomers are carried out on the chiral MOF column.