“Sock‐Ball” Chromatographic Separation of High Molecular Weight Fullerenes with Sock‐Shaped Stationary Phase

Abstract

A method for "Sock-Ball" chromatographic separation of high molecular weight fullerencs is described.A prepared sock-shaped stationary phase (Sock-SAF-phase) was used for HPLC separation of several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PARs) and fullerencs. Fullerenes, as ball-shaped molecules, are much more strongly retained than PARs on this stationary phase and have the eluted order C 60 < C 70 < C76 < C78 < C~4 in (he mobile phase of n-hexanefdichloromethane (100/0 -80/20). In contrast, chromatography on the Corresponding unmodified silica phase or 8C-30H-phase (an intermediate phase of Sock-SAF-phase) gave no separation of luHerenes. This fact indicated that the separation of fullerenes on Sock-SAF-phase was related to the selective interaction with the sock moiety.