Explanation of Ionic Sequences in Various Phenomena. I. Salting-Out of Uncharged Molecules

Abstract

Theoretical models for hydrated ions and their calculated effective dielectric constants obtained previously were used to explain the salting-in or salting-out of nonionic molecules. Three types of salting-out sequences were obtained: nonpolar (Na⁺ > K⁺ > Li⁺ Rb⁺ > Cs⁺), basic (K⁺ > Na⁺ > Rb⁺ > Cs⁺ > Li⁺), and acidic (Li⁺ > Na⁺ > K⁺ > Rb⁺ > Cs⁺). The nonpolar sequence is not influenced by the A region of a cation, and therefore the ability to salt-out is great if the effective dielectric constant of the ion is small. The A region on hydrated Li⁺ ions (the tightly bound water) salts-in basic compounds because of the interaction of its positively charged hydrogen atoms with the negative dipolar charge of the base. Conversely, the A region of a cation salts-out acidic compounds because the hydroxyl group on carboxylic acids behaves as a similar cationic A region. A sulfonic polymer will cause the salting-in of the base p-nitroaniline because the addition of salts to an aqueous solution of the base and polymer destroys hydrogen bonds in the polymer and in so doing releases hydronium ions from the polymer. This release of H⁺, in turn, produces a positive charge on part of the p-nitroaniline molecules, which produces a salting-in effect.