Use of compounds of general formula, for chromatographic separation of rare earth elements and/or s-, p- and d-block metals, wherein - X is selected from a group consisting of H; C 1 to C 6 alkyl; halogen (F, Cl, Br or I); - Y is selected from a group consisting of nitrogen; N-oxide; - Z 1, Z 2, Z m, wherein m is 1 or 2, are independently selected from the group consisting of -CH 2 -CH 2 - and -CH 2 -CH 2 -CH 2 -; - A, A m, wherein m is 1 or 2, are independently selected from H; -CH 2 COOH; -CH 2 C NH 2; - CH 2 P 2, and - n is 1 or 2; R 1, R 2, R 3 are independently H; C 1 to C 6 alkyl; C 1 to C 6 alkyloxy; C 6 to C 10 aryloxy; benzyloxy; C 1 to C 6 alkylthio; C 6 to C 10 arylthio; F; Cl; Br; I; OH; SH; NH 2; C 1 to C 6 alkylamino; di(C 1 to C 6 alkyl)amino; C 1 to C 6 acylamino; di(C 1 to C 6 acyl)amino; C 6 to C 10 arylamino; di(C 6 to C 10 aryl)amino; CN; OH; nitro; COOR n, C NHR n, C N(R n) 2, wherein R n is independently H or C 1 to C 10 alkyl or C 6 to C 10 aryl; and/or neighboring two of R 1, R 2, R 3 together with neighboring two carbon atoms of the aromatic cycle form a six-membered ring, optionally substituted with one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of OH, SH, CF 3, F, Cl, Br, I, C 1 to C 6 alkyl, C 1 to C 6 alkyloxy, C 1 to C 6 alkylthio, NH 2, C 1 to C 6 alkylamino, di(C 1 to C 6 alkyl)amino, NO 2, COOH, COOR n, C NHR n, C N(R n) 2, wherein R n is independently H or C 1 to C 10 alkyl or C 6 to C 10 aryl; with the proviso that when n is 2 and all of Z 1, Z 2, Z m are -CH 2 -CH 2 -, then A is not -CH 2 COOH. for chromatographic separation of rare earth elements and/or s-, p- and d-block metals, wherein - X is selected from a group consisting of H; C 1 to C 6 alkyl; halogen (F, Cl, Br or I); - Y is selected from a group consisting of nitrogen; N-oxide; - Z 1, Z 2, Z m, wherein m is 1 or 2, are independently selected from the group consisting of -CH 2 -CH 2 - and -CH 2 -CH 2 -CH 2 -; - A, A m, wherein m is 1 or 2, are independently selected from H; -CH 2 COOH; -CH 2 C NH 2; - CH 2 P 2, and - n is 1 or 2; - X is selected from a group consisting of H; C 1 to C 6 alkyl; halogen (F, Cl, Br or I); - Y is selected from a group consisting of nitrogen; N-oxide; - Z 1, Z 2, Z m, wherein m is 1 or 2, are independently selected from the group consisting of -CH 2 -CH 2 - and -CH 2 -CH 2 -CH 2 -; - A, A m, wherein m is 1 or 2, are independently selected from H; -CH 2 COOH; -CH 2 C NH 2; - CH 2 P 2, and - n is 1 or 2; R 1, R 2, R 3 are independently H; C 1 to C 6 alkyl; C 1 to C 6 alkyloxy; C 6 to C 10 aryloxy; benzyloxy; C 1 to C 6 alkylthio; C 6 to C 10 arylthio; F; Cl; Br; I; OH; SH; NH 2; C 1 to C 6 alkylamino; di(C 1 to C 6 alkyl)amino; C 1 to C 6 acylamino; di(C 1 to C 6 acyl)amino; C 6 to C 10 arylamino; di(C 6 to C 10 aryl)amino; CN; OH; nitro; COOR n, C NHR n, C N(R n) 2, wherein R n is independently H or C 1 to C 10 alkyl or C 6 to C 10 aryl; and/or neighboring two of R 1, R 2, R 3 together with neighboring two carbon atoms of the aromatic cycle form a six-membered ring, optionally substituted with one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of OH, SH, CF 3, F, Cl, Br, I, C 1 to C 6 alkyl, C 1 to C 6 alkyloxy, C 1 to C 6 alkylthio, NH 2, C 1 to C 6 alkylamino, di(C 1 to C 6 alkyl)amino, NO 2, COOH, COOR n, C NHR n, C N(R n) 2, wherein R n is independently H or C 1 to C 10 alkyl or C 6 to C 10 aryl; with the proviso that when n is 2 and all of Z 1, Z 2, Z m are -CH 2 -CH 2 -, then A is not -CH 2 COOH.