The separation of alkali and alkaline earth metals by means of an acyclic polyether, 1,13-bis(8-chinolinyl)-1, 4, 7, 10, 13-pentaoxatridecane (CPOD), and cyclic polyethers, benzo-15-crown-5 (BC), dibenzo-18-crown-6 (DBC) and dicyclohexyl-18-crown-6 (DCHC), using extraction chromatography has been studied. The alkali metals can be effectively separated using SCN− ions. Different elution sequences for these groups were observed using chloroform and mesitylene and diluents for the polyethers.