Performance evaluation of a versatile multidimensional chromatographic preparative system based on three-dimensional gas chromatography and liquid chromatography–two-dimensional gas chromatography for the collection of volatile constituents

•The prep system allowed to collect highly pure components at milligram level.•Two configurations were used based on the component concentration.•No hardware modifications exploiting the two instrument configurations.•Different stationary phases were exploited to achieve the complete purification.

The present research deals with the multi-collection of the most important sesquiterpene alcohols belonging to sandalwood essential oil, as reported by the international regulations: (Z)-α-santalol, (Z)-α-trans bergamotol, (Z)-β-santalol, epi-(Z)-β-santalol, α-bisabolol, (Z)-lanceol, and (Z)-nuciferol. A versatile multidimensional preparative system, based on the hyphenation of liquid and gas chromatography techniques, was operated in the LC–GC–GC-prep or GC–GC–GC-prep configuration, depending on the concentration to be collected from the sample, without any hardware or software modification. The system was equipped with a silica LC column in combination with polyethylene glycol-poly(5% diphenyl/95% dimethylsiloxane)-medium polarity ionic liquid or β-cyclodextrin based GC stationary phases. The GC–GC–GC-prep configuration was exploited for the collection of four components, by using a conventional split/splitless injector, while the LC–GC–GC-prep approach was applied for three low abundant components (<5%), in order to increase the quantity collected within a single run, by the LC injection of a high sample amount. All target compounds, whose determination is hampered by the unavailability of commercial standards, were collected at milligram levels and with a high degree of purity (>87%).