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Cooperativity and anticooperativity in solvation by water: imidazoles, quinones, nitrophenols, nitrophenolate, and nitrothiophenolate ions

Journal Article · · J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ja00236a026· OSTI ID:6970303

Equilibrium constants for transfer from water to vapor, determined by dynamic vapor pressure measurements, show that the hydrophilic character of imidazole (log K(v/w) = -7.2) is no greater than might be expected on the basis of its constituent groups, whereas p-nitrophenol (log K(v/w) = -8.6) is about 30-fold more hydrophilic than would be the case if the effects of its constituent groups were additive. In contrast, the p-nitrophenolate ion (estimated log K(v/w) = -46) is less hydrophilic, by approximately 15 orders of magnitude, than might be expected if there were no interactions between its substituent groups. Thiopicric acid yields the most hydrophobic benzenoid anion that appears to have been reported thus far, its dissociated tetraethylammonium salt entering methylene chloride from water with an equilibrium constant approaching unity. The hydrophilic character of p-benzoquinone (log K(v/w) = -4.3) is much exceeded by that of p-hydroquinone (log K(v/w) = -7.5), so that solvent water exerts a major effect on the redox potential of this system. Comparison with model compounds indicates that in both p-benzoquinone and p-hydroquinone, solvation requirements of the symmetrical polar substituents are in conflict.

Research Organization:
Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
OSTI ID:
6970303
Journal Information:
J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 109:2; ISSN JACSA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English