Question

-----Chromatograph-----

Carrying out TLC on colorless compounds. Give two examples of methods to use in order to visualize the spots on the plates.

Carrying out TLC with a mixture of two compounds A and B. A is less polar than B. on a reverse phase plate which compound would be expected to have the larger Rf?

Confused with these two questions!

Thank you so much!!!!!!!

Answer 1

One example of #1 is amino acids. They are colorless so you don't see the spots until sprayed with a solution of ninhydrin. Tht turns them a visible color.
A second example is any compound that fluoresces in uv light. Shining the light makes them visible. A third example is to incorporate a radioactive tracer in the compound(s) and track the "spots" with a Geiger counter or a scintillation counter.

I am unfamiliar with reverse phase plate chromatography so I'll that one stand.