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Key WardsColumn liquid chromatography Ferrocene-bonded silica stationary phase re-re Interactions Hydrophobic interactions SummaryThe preparation, characterization, and potential liquid chromatographic applications of a ferrocene-bonded silica stationary phase are presented. The phase was prepared by covalent bonding of ferrocene-derivatized aminosilane to silica gel then end-capping with trimethylchlorosilane. Use of the new stationary phase enabled good separations of alkylbenzenes, halobenzenes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and even basic compounds under reversed-phase conditions. The linear relationship between log k (where k is the retention factor) and the number of rc electrons (n~) in the structures of polyaromatic hydrocarbons indicates that the mechanism of retention on the new stationary phase involves strong re-re interaction with one of the cyclopentadienyl (Cp) groups of the ferrocene. The retention increment for a methylene group was calculated. The value indicates that the mechanism of retention on the new stationary phase also involves a strong hydrophobic interaction, so the phase enables effective separation of compounds with a benzene ring.