Indirect photometric detection of aliphatic compounds such as alcohols, ketones and esters was investigated in high-performance liquid chromatography, These samples possessing nonchromophore or weak chromophore could be indirectly detected by a UV detector with addition of UV absorbing, p-chlorophenol or p-nitrophenol in mobile phase as detection reagent, and submicrogram detection limits were achieved. Some mixtures of samples were also able to be separated and quantitated with good resolution and comparatively high sensitivity under optimum conditions.