Triethylamine is used to mask free silanol groups on the HPLC column and therefore it improves peak shape of the analytes. Moreover it can be used to increase/adjust the pH of the mobile phase and serve both the purpose of pH adjustment and peak shape improvement.
Triethylamine is mainly used in the production of quaternary ammonium compounds for textile auxiliaries and quaternary ammonium salts of dyes. It is also a catalyst and acid neutralizer for condensation reactions and is useful as an intermediate for manufacturing medicines, pesticides and other chemicals.
Triethylammonium acetate is a volatile buffering agent, which, when diluted in water, maintains pH at about 7.
The acidity or basicity of the mobile phase can have a significant influence on separation. Acetic acid and triethylamine, as two traditional mobile phase additives in reverse phase HPLC, were employed to establish acidic or alkaline conditions, respectively.
