A displacement chromatography process, including: loading onto a stationary phase comprising an anion-exchange material a mixture comprising one or more components to be separated; and displacing at least one of the one or more components from the stationary phase by applying to the stationary phase a mixture comprising an polyaromatic polyanionic displacer compound having a general formula Cen(Ar)w, in which Cen is a central bond or group, Ar is an aromatic nucleus, w=2 to the maximum number of sites one Cen, and Ar is substituted with a plurality of An−, in which each An− is independently defined as sulfonate, carboxylate, phosphonate, phosphate, sulfate; and Ar is further substituted with a plurality of G, in which G is defined as independently H, C1-C6 alkyl, halogen, nitro, hydroxy, or C1-C6 alkoxy. In addition, a group of polyaromatic polyanionic displacer compounds useful in the process is disclosed.