Chromatographic separation using ion-exchange resins

A process for the chromatographic separation of a fluid mixture which contains at least a first component and a second component into a recoverable stream rich in said first component and another recoverable stream rich in said second component, wherein at least one of said first and second components is a saccharide, comprising

• (a) contacting said fluid mixture with a bed of an ion-exchange resin exhibiting an apparent cross-link density of at least about 1.1 times the actual cross-link density and having a water retention capacity, on a fully functionalized basis, of at least about 40 percent, said ion-exchange resin being prepared by functionalizing a gel-type copolymer, the gel-type copolymer being prepared in a multi-stage polymerization process employing seed copolymer particles,
• (b) eluting said fluid mixture such that the fluid mixture passes through said resin bed under conditions such that the rate of passage of said first component through the resin bed is retarded relative to the rate of passage of said second component, and
• (c) recovering a product stream rich in said first component and another product stream rich in said second component, the first component being recovered at a percent yield which is at least about 20% greater than the percent yield obtained when an ion-exchange resin made from a single step process having an equivalent average particle size and water retention capacity is employed in an otherwise similar process.