The preparations of micro-sized monolithic silica columns have recently been attracting attention due to the potential of their multi-mode application for microHPLC, 1,2 LC-MS, 3,4 and 2D HPLC separations 5-7 with higher column efficiencies than the conventional particle-packed columns exhibit. Until very recently, the surface modifications of the monolithic silica columns were limited to the reversed-phase (RP) mode in many cases, except for an aminopropyl bonded column 8 or chiral separation columns.
9In 2006, a hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC)-type monolithic silica column 10 and a weak cation-exchange (WCX) monolithic silica column 11 were reported. A highly efficient monolithic silica column modified with strong cation-exchange (SCX) functionality was also reported. 12 Under the RP mode separation, the monolithic silica columns achieved much higher separation efficiency with higher theoretical plates (can be larger than 100000 plates) 13 and much faster separation than the conventional particle-packed columns could achieve. However, the improvement of the column efficiency for ion-exchange chromatography has been limited to polymer monolithic columns possessing ion-exchange functionalities. In many cases, polymer monolithic columns are evaluated by the electrochromatography mode, 14 and it is not easy to adapt them to the common HPLC system. The ionexchange chromatography is widely used for the proteomics, 15,16 the separation of lipooligosaccharides 17 and NAHoligosaccharides, 18 quantification of proteins, 19 and metabolomics studies. 20 The preparation of highly efficient ionexchange columns will thus be beneficial to the progress of the above-mentioned life sciences areas.To realize higher separation efficiency in ion-exchange modes than conventional particle-packed columns, researchers have suggested that the functionalization of monolithic silica capillary columns by a polymer-coating reaction will be a reasonable method for WCX mode. 11 In this report, the ionexchange mode was enlarged to SCX and strong-and weak anion-exchange (SAX and WAX) modes, to show the utility of the present polymer-coating method for the column functionalization and for providing much more efficient anionexchange columns.
ExperimentalReagents and chemicals 3-Methacryloxypropyltriethoxysilane (MAS) was prepared by the previously reported method.
10Reagent grade methanol (Nacalai Tesque, Kyoto, Japan) was used after single distillation. Reagent grade toluene (Nacalai) was distilled from calcium hydride. 3-Diethylamino-2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate (DAHMA) was prepared by reacting glycidyl methacrylate (2.7 ml, 20 mmol, Wako Pure Chemical Industries Ltd., Osaka, Japan) and diethylamine (4.1 ml, 40 mmol, Nacalai) under reflux for 24 h, followed by a removal of the excess of diethylamine under reduced pressure.
21Other monomers: 2-(triethylammonium)ethyl methacrylate chloride (DMAEA-Q, Kohjin, Tokyo, Japan), p-styrenesulfonic acid sodium salt (pSSA, Tokyo Chemical Industry Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) and 2-acrylamido-2-me...