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Compound properties relevant for assessing the environmental partitioning of nitrophenols

Journal Article · · Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00166a009· OSTI ID:6945286

Acidity constants, UV/vis absorption maxima, aqueous solubilities, octanol/water partition constants and ratios, vapor pressures, and estimated Henry's law constants are reported and discussed for 17 mono- and dinitrophenols. For substituted 2-nitrophenols in which intramolecular hydrogen bonding between hydroxyl and nitro group is not affected by proximity effects, the acidity constant K/sub a/ can be estimated from the Hammett relationship pK/sub a/ = 7.23 - 2.59 ..sigma.. sigma/sub i/ /sup (-)/. For these nitrophenols, the aqueous activity coefficient ..gamma../sub w/ of the nondissociated species is approximately independent of solute concentration, and a good correlation between octanol/water partition constant K/sub ow/ and aqueous solubility of the liquid compound C/sub w//sup sat/(L) is found: log K/sub ow/ = -0.97 log C/sub w//sup sat/(L) - 0.04 (R = 0.98). In cases in which intramolecular hydrogen bonding is disturbed or impossible, due to solute-solute interactions, C/sub w//sup sat/(L) does not yield correct information on ..gamma../sub w/ at low concentrations. The electronic effect of substituents on the octanol/water partitioning behavior of the dissociated 2-nitrophenols can be reasonably quantified by using Hammett substituent constants.

Research Organization:
Swiss Federal Institute for Water Resources and Water Pollution Control (EAWAG), Kastanienbaum
OSTI ID:
6945286
Journal Information:
Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 22:1; ISSN ESTHA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English