Rapid and simultaneous determination of imidazolium and pyridinium ionic liquid cations by ion-pair chromatography using a monolithic column

A method for rapid and simultaneous determination of imidazolium and pyridinium ionic liquid cations by ion-pair chromatography with ultraviolet detection was developed. Chromatographic separations were performed on a reversed-phase silica-based monolithic column using 1-heptanesulfonic acid sodium–acetonitrile as mobile phase. The effects of ion-pair reagent and acetonitrile concentration on retention of the cations were investigated. The retention times of the cations accord with carbon number rule. The method has been successfully applied to the determination of four ionic liquids synthesized by organic chemistry laboratory.