Abstract: The reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatographic behaviour of arylthioacetates and their oxidation products has been studied by using ODSas stationary phase and methanol-water as mobile phase.The relationship between the retention characteristics and the molecular structure of these compounds was investigated.Results showed that;(1)The k'values increase with the increase of alkyl chain length(k'_-CH(CH3)2>k'_-CH3);(2)The k'values decrease with the number of oxygen in polar functional groups increasing(k'_-S->k'_-SO->k'_-SO2-);(3)the k'values increase evidently when chlorine exists in benzene ring; (4)The effect of nitro-group in benzene ring on k'values is dependent upon the number and substituting position of polar groups.

Key words: Arylthioacetate, Arylsulfinylacetate, Arylsulfonylacetate, Reversed-phatqe high performance liquid chromatography