Preparation of 4‐butylaniline‐bonded silica gel for the solid‐phase extraction of flavone glycosides

Abstract

To extract flavone glycosides efficiently, a new extraction material based on 4-butylaniline-bonded silica gel was prepared using a two-step grafting method including a ring-opening reaction and synchronous hydrolysis. Preparation of the silica-based material was easily achieved under mild conditions, and the material was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The material was used in solid-phase extraction, and the extraction can be performed in neutral conditions without regard to ionic strength. Selectivity tests of 14 compounds on the extraction cartridge showed that the material has a high affinity to flavone glycosides in contrast to octadecyl silica, and the extraction yields for four flavone glycosides were found to be >93%. Selectivity tests further reveal that the adsorption on its surface is likely attributed to multiple interactions, including hydrophobic interactions, π-π interactions, and hydrogen bonding. To explore the applicability of 4-butylaniline-bonded silica gel, naringin and hesperidin from Simotang oral liquid were extracted, and the extraction yields were >90%, which is distinguished from <28% on octadecyl silica cartridge.