Comparative estimation of the efficiency of structure formation and dispersion interactions in organic solvents of varying nature and polarity

Abstract

The solubilities of n-tetracosane and dotriacontane in more than 50 solvents (aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, their halo derivatives, alcohols, ethers, ketones, amines, etc.) miscible with liquid aliphatic hydrocarbons were determined at 293±1 K. The increments of the methylene group in hypothetical extraction systems n-octane — solvent and the free energies of methylene group transfer from solvent to n-octane were calculated. The values were found to vary within wide limits. For the overwhelming majority of polar and low-polar solvents, the energies are negative due to self-association of solvents according to the type of spatial structure. Positive energies are due to the closer packing of some low-polar solvent molecules (carbon tetrachloride and cyclohexane) in the structure compared to octane and to the absence of molecular self-association. The closer packing of these molecules leads to higher efficiency of dispersion interactions between the solvents and paraffins compared to octane.