Use of compounds of general formula (I), 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(O)NH 2 ; - CH 2 P(O)(OH) 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(O)NHR n , C(O)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(O)NHR n , C(O)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(O)NH 2 ; - CH 2 P(O)(OH) 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(O)NH 2 ; - CH 2 P(O)(OH) 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(O)NHR n , C(O)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(O)NHR n , C(O)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. <EOS>