Thin Layer Chromatographic Separation of Ortho, Meta, and Para Substituted Benzoic Acids and Phenols with Aqueous Solutions of ?-Cyclodextrin

Abstract
The use of aqueous solutions of α-cyclodextrin as the mobile phase in thin layer chromatography (TLC) is described. A series of eighteen substituted benzoic acid compounds were chromatographed on polyamide thin layer sheets. The Rf values were dependent on the concentration of α-cyclodextrin in the mobile phase as well as the structure and size of the individual molecules. Possible advantages of this technique over those which use pure or mixed solvent systems as the mobile phase are discussed.