Argentation gas chromatography revisited: Separation of light olefin/paraffin mixtures using silver-based ionic liquid stationary phases.

Silver ion or argentation chromatography utilizes stationary phases containing silver ions for the separation of unsaturated compounds. In this study, a mixed-ligand silver-based ionic liquid (IL) was evaluated for the first time as a gas chromatographic (GC) stationary phase for the separation of light olefin/paraffin mixtures. The selectivity of the stationary phase toward olefins can be tuned by adjusting the ratio of silver ion and the mixed ligands. The maximum allowable operating temperature of these stationary phases was determined to be between 125°C and 150°C. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used to characterize the coordination behavior of the silver-based IL as well as provide an understanding into the retention mechanism of light olefins.