Reciprocal Symmetry Plots as a Representation of Countercurrent Chromatograms

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Abstract
Traditionally, chromatograms in countercurrent chromatography (CCC) have been plotted with retention volume or time on the x-axis. However, the distribution constant (K) is a more appropriate, reproducible value for the x-axis, because it is a physicochemical property of a particular analyte in a particular solvent system. Therefore, K is independent of both the total column volume and the stationary-phase volume ratio (SF) of the column. Going one step beyond simple K plots, the reciprocal symmetry (ReS) plot, with K and 1/K positioned on either side of a line of symmetry on the x-axis, represents all K values, zero to infinity. Based on experimental evidence, using a mixture of CCC reference standards, the ReS plot demonstrates both the invertible and “symmetric” nature of CCC, a consequence of the exchange of the mobile and stationary phases by reversing the direction of the flow and the symmetry of the liquid−liquid partitioning process between two immiscible phases, respectively. Moreover, the interval of optimal resolution can be centered on the ReS plot to focus on K values of interest, establishing the reciprocal shifted symmetry (ReSS) plots in CCC. Improved representation of peak shape across the whole CCC polarity range is an added advantage of ReSS plots over both K and classical retention volume plots.