Poly(4-vinylpyridine) as a reagent with silanol-masking effect for silica and its specific selectivity for PAHs and dinitropyrenes in a reversed phase

This paper demonstrates that poly(4-vinylpyridine) is applicable as an effective masking reagent for silica to reduce undesirable side effects due to silanol groups. It also shows that this chemical modification brings about unique retention behaviors absolutely different from conventional ODS, which appear in molecular-shape selectivity for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and in selectivity for position isomerism, especially for electron-withdrawing substitution compounds. Separation of 1,6- and 1,8-dinirtopyrenes as carcinogens is also described.