Trilinear multiplicative modelling of thin layer chromatography retention as a function of solute, organic modifier and its concentration

We have recently shown in a preliminary study, that the retention in TLC, expressed as R F values, can be modelled in multiplicative trilinear way (solute×mobile phase×stationary phase), explaining almost all variance. Such possibility did not occur in the case of k or R M values. This paper is a continuation of investigation about this phenomenon. We perform here a trilinear decomposition of two datasets (normal‐phase and RP) of 35 model compounds organized differently as in the previous study: solute × modifier × concentration. The resulted models explain 96.8% of whole variance on silica and 90.33% of RP18 variance. No strict correlation with any particular molecular descriptor was found, although the mean electrotopological state index (Ms) was fairly correlated with RP contributions. The results confirm definitively a general possibility to model TLC retention in a multiplicative manner and inspire for further research in this field.