Metalloporphyrin/Silicas for Peptide/Protein Separations

The analytical and preparative separation of proteins and peptides will be explored using metallopocovalently immobilized onto silica supports. Incorporation of appropriate metal ions (e.g.,Zn++,Ni++immobilized porphyrin structure is expected to yield stationary phases superior to existing immobili(IMA) phases based on immobilized iminodiacetates. The extremely high stability constants for metalcomplexes should enable polypeptide separations to occur without loss of the metal ion, and this wousignificant advantage over currently available IMA phases thereby achieving reproducible high perforseparations of peptides/proteins. Further, the aromatic macrocycle of the immobilized porphyrin willphase that exhibits a unique mixed mode retention mechanism, with both metal ion affinity and pi-pisimultaneously, possibly increasing solute selectivity. With the proper choice of eluent components,each retention mechanism can be varied to optimize a given protein/peptide separation. This researchefforts by Selective Technologies Inc., that have already led to the successful commercialization ofa column packed with a tetraphenylporphyrin- silica phase that exhibits extraordinarily high selectifullerenes.