Countercurrent Chromatography (CCC) and Countercurrent Separation (CS)

Named after Craig's renowned countercurrent distribution (CCD), chromatographic liquid-liquid separation techniques are commonly referred to as countercurrent or partition chromatography (CCC, CPC). Owing to the fact that routine experimental setups such as HSCCC and CPC do not use true countercurrent flow of liquids, partition chromatography is the more generic term and actually describes the underlying principle of partitioning the analytes between two immiscible liquid phases. This also illustrates the particular power of CCC/CPC.

• As only solvents are involved and solid supports avoided, irreversible adsorption cannot occur, sample degradation is minimized, and a theoretical 100% sample recovery is achievable.
• The partition coefficient, K, is an important physicochemical constant of each molecular species, which can be used to target its analysis

Countercurrent Research at UIC Chicago

Our natural products group at UIC has an extensive track record and expertise in applying and developing CCC experimental techniques.

• List of our publications in the area of CCC [EECCC, ReS Plots]
• Team of CCC Experts at UIC, College of Pharmacy
• Natural Products Research Group in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy

Countercurrent Chromatography: Background

• History & Notes on Nomenclature : from CCD to HSCCC to EECCC
• Theory: principles and glossary of CCC/CPC terminology

Countercurrent Chromatography: Resources

• Applications: compound classes, GUESS and solvent system selection, separation modes, modelling, and chiral CCC/CPC
• Support & Guidelines : general guidelines, modes & types of CCC experiments, instrument types, manufacturers and distributors, and links
• Literature: general literature, research articles, and literature trends
• Countercurrent Separation review articles covering CCC, CPC, HSCCC, and CCS:
  • 2008 J.Nat.Prod review
  • 2015 J.Nat.Prod. review

Questions?
Visit the CCC Information Portal