WEBINAR: 9/21/2011 VP David Schurer introduces new webinar series on TLC-to-Flash Chromatography

http://www.sorbtech.com/video.tlc-flash-chromatography.aspx

If you are having trouble separating your compounds, no matter how you tweak your solvents, you may want to test run your sample on diverse adsorbents.  We have a wide range of bonded phases and other adsorbents, but the fist step is to determine which is right for your compound.  We realize that most people like to use TLC to develop their solvents for their separations and to predict how the sample will run on a column.  For this reason, Sorbtech now offers a TLC Development Sample Pack.  Great for difficult separations and method development, this “spice rack” contains either glass (10”x10”) or aluminum (4”x8”) backed plates coated with Diol, Amino, Cyano, C2, C18 and Alumina. The kit includes 2 plates for each phase for a total of 12 plates.  The Sorbtech Sample Pack is a must for the laboratory. The variety of bonded phases is a practical and economical solution to finding the right phase for your compound matrices, as it allows you to test phases without the cost of purchasing full boxes.  These bonded phases expand the ranges of solvents you can use since they can be run in both normal phase and reverse phase, and with the exception of alumina, they are all fully wettable.

For more information, contact your product specialist today.

Conditioning & cutting tips to ensure performance from plate to plate, lot to lot and chemist to chemist

TLC plate prepping, conditioning and cutting will help you save time, money and maintain consistency of performance. By prepping and conditioning your plates, you will avoid having to rerun your sample or risk the decomposition of your compound. Cutting TLC plates enables you to run any size sample you want. By purchasing a large box of TLC plates and cutting them to spec., you can save money, use less solvent, and customize your plate sizes. For prepping and cutting TLC plates, follow these quick and easy steps:

1. Always pre wash your TLC plate with either methanol or methanol/chloroform. Let plate sit overnight in a vent hood.
2. To extract the prewashing, use the solvent system of choice for your sample and let this develop to the top of the plate. Again leave in a vent hood overnight.
3. Next dry in a vacuum oven at 110°C for at least an hour. Let plate cool in vacuum oven until it reaches room temp. If not for immediate use, place plates in a desiccator to preserve.

Cutting plastic or aluminum backed TLC plates:

1. Keep plates as dry as possible before attempting to cut.
2. Use sharp scissors and cut at a 45 degree angle leaning outside. So for instance, if you are right handed, tilt the scissors to the right.

Don’t tilt scissors to the left – tilt scissors to the right.
WRONG!	RIGHT
Notice the layer flaking on the left and on the right you can see a sharp edge rather than a jagged edge.
WRONG!	RIGHT
Notice how crooked the plate is to the left, where the plate on the right has a nice, clean edge.
WRONG	RIGHT

Glass plates:

Use a Sorbtech TLC plate cutter (Cat#7535) to enable a perfect cut every time without losing coating and eliminating waste.