title: Temperature dependence of the Kováts retention index. Convex or concave curves.
abstract: The non-linearity in the temperature dependence of the Kováts index, I (the formation of convex or concave curves) was characterized by the second derivative, d2I/dT2. The expression deduced on a purely mathematical-physicochemical basis is d2I/dT2 = [2TDeltaS(CH2)dI/dT-100deltaDeltaCp]/TDeltaG(CH2). The solute-dependent factor for dI/dT, d2I/dT2, and the extreme temperature in the I vs. T relationship is deltaDeltaCp, which is the molar solvation heat capacity difference between the solute and a hypothetical n-alkane which elutes at the same time as the given solute, while the solvent-dependent factors are the solvation entropy and free energy of the methylene unit, DeltaS(CH2) and DeltaG(CH2). Experimentally, convex Ivs.T curves with a minimum are formed when deltaDeltaCp >> 0, while concave ones with a maximum are observed when deltaDeltaCp << 0. In the event of a linear temperature dependence, the former equation can be simplified: dI/dT = 100deltaDeltaCp/2TDeltaS(CH2). The deviation from linearity (higher d2I/dT2) increases with increasing deltaDeltaCp values. The model equations were tested from the dataset published by the Kováts group on C78 (19,24-dioctadecyldotetracontane), POH (18,23-dioctadecyl-1-untetracontenol), PCN (1-cyano-18,23-dioctadecyluntetracontane) and TMO (1,38-dimethoxy-17,22-bis-(16-methoxyhexadecyl)-octatriacontane) and by present measurements on the Innowax phase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Szeged, Rerrich Béla tér 1, H-6721 Szeged, Hungary. gorgenyi@chem.u-szeged.hu
authors.forename: Miklós
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Görgényi
authors.forename: Zoltán A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Fekete
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van Langenhove
authors.forename: Jo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dewulf