Column Chromatography

Column chromatography separates a mixture of compounds according to their differential affinity for a stationary phase (most commonly silica gel) relative...

Column chromatography separates a mixture of compounds according to their differential affinity for a stationary phase (most commonly silica gel) relative to a mobile phase solvent system passed through the packed column under gravity or applied pressure, with more polar compounds retained more strongly on the polar silica surface and therefore eluting later than less polar compounds. Column chromatography remains the most versatile and widely used purification technique in synthetic organic and medicinal chemistry laboratories, capable of resolving structurally similar compounds that would be difficult to separate by recrystallization alone, though it is comparatively labour- and solvent-intensive relative to alternative techniques.