Chromatographic process for the separation of nucleic acids

A process for the chromatographic separation of nucleic acids using a chromatographic carrier prepared by reacting a porous carrier material that contains cavities with a silanization material, wherein said porous carrier material has a grain size of from 2 to 100 .mu.m, a cavity size cross section of 1 to 40 times the maximum dimension of the nucleic acids contained in the mixture and a specific surface of from 5 to 800 m.sup.2 /g, and said carrier material is reacted with a silanization reagent of the general formula

• R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 SiR.sub.4 I.
• wherein R.sub.1 is selected from the group consisting of an alkoxy radical having from 1 to 10 C atoms, a halogen group, and a dialkyl amino group with identical or different alkyl radicals having from 1 to 6 C atoms, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 each are selected from the group consisting of a hydrocarbon radical having from 1 to 10 C atoms, an alkoxy radical having from 1 to 10 C atoms, a halogen atom, an alkyl radical having from 4 to 20 C atoms interrupted by at least one oxy or amino group, and at least one halogen, cyano, nitro, amino, monoalkylamino, dialkylamino, hydroxy or aryl group, and R.sub.4 is selected from the group consisting of a hydrocarbon chain having from 1 to 20 C atoms and an alkyl radical interrupted by at least one oxy or amino group, or at least one halogen, cyano, nitro, amino, monalkylamino, dialkylamino, alkoxy, hydroxy, aryl and/or epoxy group, and then, reacting the resulting carrier material with a reagent of the general formula
• X-R-Y II
• wherein X is selected from the group consisting of an amino, hydroxy, and an epoxy group and, a halogen atom, R is selected from the group consisting of a hydrocarbon chain having from 2 to 20 C atoms, and an alkyl radical interrupted by at least one oxy or amino group, or at least one halogen, cyano, nitro, amino, monoalkylamino, dialkylamino, alkoxy, hydroxy, aryl and/or epoxy group and Y is selected from the group consisting of a hydrocarbon radical having from 1 to 10 C atoms and functional groups that form anion or cation exchangers, wherein said radical can be replaced once or more by amino, monoalkylamino, dialkylamino, quaternary alkylamino, carboxyl, boric acid, alkyl and aryl sulfonic acid groups.