Actually 2 questions.

1st. I need to run substituted acetoacetanilides in addition to other substituted anilides (-NO2, -OCH3, -CONH2). I am currently using a Waters HPLC system w/ a PDA detector, and a 3.9 x 150 mm C18 Novapak column. I would like a more pH robust column. Any suggestions to column choice/manufacturer and conditions for these samples?

Also, since I'll be paying, what is the cheapest place to buy "Introduction to Modern Liquid Chromatography" and "Practical HPLC Method Development"? Thanks in advance.

Russell Rondeau

Re: Column Choice
The XTerra line of columns from Waters are very pH stable. Their literature indicates that a pH range of 1-12 is within the usability range. Check out the Waters Home Page at www.waters.com for more detailed information.

A.A.

If you're looking for low pH, I've heard good things about MacMod's Stablebond line. See www.mac-mod.com for details :)
Lisa

I think Jordi Associates sell one of the most impressive pH-stable columns on the market. I would check them out before making a final decision.

As for the books, I recently bought Practical HPLC Method Development from LCGC - $85. Again, check out Amazon.com first and you will probably get for 10% less (Wiley are the publishers).

If it's low pH, that you find interesting, i've had a bit of experience with Phenomenex' Prodigy and Luna columns. Both I've used at pH 1.5. Some columns have lasted for over 500 injections in a low pH ion-pair system. If you're looking for columns that have a wide pH-range, then I think you shouldn't choose these columns. I know that they say that both columns is OK to use in pH-range 1-10, but i have very bad experiences with these columns at pH above 8.

ThermoQuest's HyPurity Elite C18 is pH stable between 0.9 and 9.0.

If you want to move outside these ranges then you need to look at non-silica columns. I would suggest HyperREZ XP 100 reverse phase SDVB (polymer column) or Hypercarb (PGC column).