Solute-Solvent Interactions in Solutions of Solvatochromic Phenoxides: A Dynamics Simulation Study

Solute-solvent interactions in protic (water, methanol and 2-propanol) and aprotic (DMSO) solvents of four solvatochromic phenoxides, the 4- and 2-pyridiniophenoxides, Brooker’s merocyanine and the N-methyloxyquinolinium betaine, were investigated with the aid of molecular dynamics simulations. Although the size of the first solvation shell of the phenoxide oxygen of all betaines remains constant in the three protic solvents, it comprises increasingly fewer solvent molecules as the volume of the hydroxylic solvent increases. In DMSO, the donor phenoxide group of the 4-pyridiniophenoxide betaine is loosely solvated, leading to an internal charge-transfer with smaller transition energies than in protic media.     

Preferential solvation and solvation shell composition of free base and protonated 5, 10, 15, 20-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin in aqueous organic mixed solvents

The solvatochromic properties of the free base and the protonated 5, 10, 15, 20-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin (TPPS) were studied in pure water, methanol, ethanol (protic solvents), dimethylsulfoxide, DMSO, (non-protic solvent), and their corresponding aqueous-organic binary mixed solvents. The correlation of the empirical solvent polarity scale (E(T)) values of TPPS with composition of the solvents was analyzed by the solvent exchange model of Bosch and Roses to clarify the preferential solvation of the probe dyes in the binary mixed solvents. The solvation shell composition and the synergistic effects in preferential solvation of the solute dyes were investigated in terms of both solvent-solvent and solute-solvent interactions and also, the local mole fraction of each solvent composition was calculated in cybotactic region of the probe. The effective mole fraction variation may provide significant physico-chemical insights in the microscopic and molecular level of interactions between TPPS species and the solvent components and therefore, can be used to interpret the solvent effect on kinetics and thermodynamics of TPPS. The obtained results from the preferential solvation and solvent-solvent interactions have been successfully applied to explain the variation of equilibrium behavior of protonation of TPPS occurring in aqueous organic mixed solvents of methanol, ethanol and DMSO.     

Molecular-Microscopic Properties and Preferential Solvation in Protic Ionic Liquid Mixtures

Structural and molecular-microscopic properties of the solvatochromic probes 4-nitroaniline, 4-nitroanisole, and Reichardt’s dye were investigated in binary mixtures of ethylammonium propionate with methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol and 2-propanol. Solvatochromic parameters (α, hydrogen-bond donor acidity; β, hydrogen-bond acceptor basicity; π*, dipolarity/polarizability; $ E_{\text{T}}^{\text{N}} $ , normalized polarity parameter) in different binary mixtures of ionic liquid with molecular solvents were determined with UV–Vis spectroscopy. The $ E_{\text{T}}^{\text{N}} $ parameters show nearly ideal trends in all solvent mixtures, but the other parameters show different behavior in the mixtures. The π* parameters show a negative deviation from ideality in the ionic liquid/methanol system. In contrast, the α parameters have severe positive deviations from ideal behavior in ionic liquid/1-propanol and ionic liquid/2-propanol solvent mixtures. A synergistic solvation effect is observed for the π* parameters in IL/methanol mixtures. Specific solute–solvent interactions or solvent–solvent interactions, which cause non-ideal trends in some parameters, are justified and interpreted by the preferential solvation model.     

Solvation in pure liquids: what can be learned from the use of pairs of indicators?

The solvation of six solvatochromic probes in a large number of solvents (33-68) was examined at 25 degrees C. The probes employed were the following: 2,6-diphenyl-4-(2,4,6-triphenylpyridinium-1-yl) phenolate (RB); 4-[(E)2-(1-methylpyridinium-4-yl)ethenyl] phenolate, MePM; 1-methylquinolinium-8-olate, QB; 2-bromo-4-[(E)-2-(1-methylpyridinium-4-yl)ethenyl] phenolate, MePMBr, 2,6-dichloro-4-(2,4,6-triphenyl pyridinium-1-yl) phenolate (WB); and 2,6-dibromo-4-[(E)-2-(1-methylpyridinium-4-yl)ethenyl] phenolate, MePMBr(2), respectively. Of these, MePMBr is a novel compound. They can be grouped in three pairs, each with similar pK(a) in water but with different molecular properties, for example, lipophilicity and dipole moment. These pairs are formed by RB and MePM; QB and MePMBr; WB and MePMBr(2), respectively. Theoretical calculations were carried out in order to calculate their physicochemical properties including bond lengths, dihedral angles, dipole moments, and wavelength of absorption of the intramolecular charge-transfer band in four solvents, water, methanol, acetone, and DMSO, respectively. The data calculated were in excellent agreement with available experimental data, for example, bond length and dihedral angles. This gives credence to the use of the calculated properties in explaining the solvatochromic behaviors observed. The dependence of an empirical solvent polarity scale E(T)(probe) in kcal/mol on the physicochemical properties of the solvent (acidity, basicity, and dipolarity/polarizability) and those of the probes (pK(a), and dipole moment) was analyzed by using known multiparameter solvation equations. For each pair of probes, values of E(T)(probe) (for example, E(T)(MePM) versus E(T)(RB)) were found to be linearly correlated with correlation coefficients, r, between 0.9548 and 0.9860. For the mercyanine series, the values of E(T)(probe) also correlated linearly, with (r) of 0.9772 (MePMBr versus MePM) and 0.9919 (MePMBr(2) versus MePM). The response of each pair of probes (of similar pK(a)) to solvent acidity is the same, provided that solute-solvent hydrogen-bonding is not seriously affected by steric crowding (as in case of RB). We show, for the first time, that the response to solvent dipolarity/polarizability is linearly correlated to the dipole moment of the probes. The successive introduction of bromine atoms in MePM (to give MePMBr, then MePMBr(2)) leads to the following linear decrease: pK(a) in water, length of the phenolate oxygen-carbon bond, length of the central ethylenic bond, susceptibility to solvent acidity, and susceptibility to solvent dipolarity/polarizability. Thus studying the solvation of probes whose molecular structures are varied systematically produces a wealth of information on the effect of solute structure on its solvation. The results of solvation of the present probes were employed in order to test the goodness of fit of two independent sets of solvent solvatochromic parameters.     

Solvation in binary mixtures of water and polar aprotic solvents: theoretical calculations of the concentrations of solvent-water hydrogen-bonded species and application to thermosolvatochromism of polarity probes

Thermo-solvatochromism of two polarity probes, 2,6-diphenyl-4-(2,4,6-triphenyl- pyridinium-1-yl)phenolate, RB, and 2,6-dichloro-4-(2,4,6-triphenylpyridinium-1-yl) phenolate, WB, in aqueous acetone, Me2CO, and aqueous dimethylsulfoxide, DMSO, has been studied. The data obtained have been analyzed according to a recently introduced solvation model that explicitly considers the presence of 1:1 organic solvent-water hydrogen-bonded species, S-W, in the bulk binary mixture and its exchange equilibria with (S) and (W) in the solvation shell of the probe. Calculations require reliable values of Kdissoc, the dissociation constant of S-W. Previously, this has been calculated from the dependence of the densities of binary solvent mixtures on their composition. Using iteration, the volume of the hydrogen-bonded species, VS-W, and Kdissoc were obtained simultaneously from the same set of experimental data. This approach may be potentially suspect because Kdissoc, and VS-W are highly correlated. Therefore, we extended a recently introduced approach for the calculation of Valcohol-W to binary mixtures of water with acetone, acetonitrile, N,N-dimethylformamide, DMSO, and pyridine. This approach includes: Determination of VS-W from ab initio calculations by the COSMO solvation model; correction of these volumes for the nonideal behavior of the binary solvent mixtures at different temperatures; use of corrected VS-W as a constant (not an adjustable parameter) in the equation that is employed to calculate Kdissoc (from density versus binary solvent composition). Solvation of RB and WB by Me2CO-W showed different behavior from that of aqueous DMSO. Thus, water is able to displace Me2CO more efficiently than DMSO from the probe solvation shell. Me2CO-W and DMSO-W displace their corresponding precursor solvents; this is more efficient for the former case because the strong DMSO-W interactions attenuate the solvation capacity of this species. Temperature increase resulted in desolvation of both probes, due to concomitant decrease of the structures of the component solvents.     

Spectral Investigations of Preferential Solvation and Solute–Solvent Interactions of Free Base and Protonated 5,10,15,20-Tetrakis(4-trimethyl-ammonio-phenyl)-porphine Tetratosylate in Aqueous Organic Mixed Solvents

The solvatochromic properties of the free base and the protonated 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-trimethyl-ammonio-phenyl)-porphine tetratosylate (TTMAPP) were studied in pure water, methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol, and their corresponding aqueous mixtures. The correlation of the empirical solvent polarity scale (E _T) values of TTMAPP with composition of the solvents were analyzed by the solvent exchange model of Bosch and Roses to clarify the preferential solvation of the probe dyes in the binary mixed solvents. The solvation shell composition effects in preferential solvation of the solute dyes were investigated in terms of both solvent–solvent and solute–solvent interactions and also the local mole fraction of each solvent composition was calculated in the cybotactic region of the probe. The effective mole fraction variation may provide significant physicochemical insights in the microscopic and molecular level of interactions between TTMAPP species and the solvent components and, therefore, can be used to interpret the solvent effect on kinetics and thermodynamics of TTMAPP.     

Effects of the molecular properties of mixed solvents on the elution of alkyl benzoates in RPLC.

The retention behavior and mechanism of methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, buthyl and isobuthyl benzoates have been studied at different eluent compositions of aqueous mixtures with water-soluble organic solvents (methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, acetonitrile (AN), 1,4-dioxane and tetrahydrofuran (THF)) in RPLC. The retention of the solutes is discussed based on the solvent composition, solvent polarity (ETN value), preferential solvation, hydrogen bonding and solvent clusters of the eluents. The smaller ETN values and the larger preferential solvation of the mixed solvent eluted the solutes faster. The IR spectra of HDO suggested that the solvents, except for methanol and ethanol, break the hydrogen bonding between water molecules, resulting in fast elution of the solutes. Based upon the results, we chose an optimum solvent composition for the separation of benzoates and applied it to the determination of the benzoates in clove.     

UV-visible spectroscopic study of solvation in ternary solvent mixtures: ketocyanine dye in methanol + acetone + water and methanol + acetone + benzene

Solvation characteristics of a ketocyanine dye have been studied in completely miscible ternary solvent mixtures, namely, methanol + acetone + water and methanol + acetone + benzene, by monitoring the solvatochromic absorption band of the dye. The maximum energy of absorption (E) of the solute in a ternary solvent mixture differs significantly from the mole fraction average of the E values in the component solvents. Results in the corresponding binary solvent mixtures also show a deviation of the E value from the mole fraction averaged E values. The results have been explained in terms of preferential solvation using a two phase model of solvation. The excess or deficit over the bulk composition of a solvent component in the vicinity of the solute molecule in a ternary solvent mixture has been estimated using the knowledge of solvation in the corresponding binary mixtures.     

Solute-solvent and solvent-solvent interactions in the preferential solvation of 4-[4-(dimethylamino)styryl]-1-methylpyridinium iodide in 24 binary solvent mixtures

The molar transition energy (E(T)) polarity values for the dye 4-[4-(dimethylamino)styryl]-1-methylpyridinium iodide were collected in binary mixtures comprising a hydrogen-bond accepting (HBA) solvent (acetone, acetonitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF)) and a hydrogen-bond donating (HBD) solvent (water, methanol, ethanol, propan-2-ol, and butan-1-ol). Data referring to mixtures of water with alcohols were also analyzed. These data were used in the study of the preferential solvation of the probe, in terms of both solute-solvent and solvent-solvent interactions. These latter interactions are of importance in explaining the synergistic behavior observed for many mixed solvent systems. All data were successfully fitted to a model based on solvent-exchange equilibria. The E(T) values of the dye dissolved in the solvents show that the position of the solvatochromic absorption band of the dye is dependent on the medium polarity. The solvation of the dye in HBA solvents occurs with a very important contribution from ion-dipole interactions. In HBD solvents, the hydrogen bonding between the dimethylamino group in the dye and the OH group in the solvent plays an important role in the solvation of the dye. The interaction of the hydroxylic solvent with the other component in the mixture can lead to the formation of hydrogen-bonded complexes, which solvate the dye using a lower polar moiety, i.e. alkyl groups in the solvents. The dye has a hydrophobic nature and a dimethylamino group with a minor capability for hydrogen bonding with the medium in comparison with the phenolate group present in Reichardt's pyridiniophenolate. Thus, the probe is able to detect solvent-solvent interactions, which are implicit to the observed synergistic behavior.     

Use of a solvatochromic probe for study of solvation in ternary solvent mixture

Solvation characteristics of 2,6-diphenyl-4-(2,4,6-triphenyl-1-pyridino)phenolate in completely miscible ternary solvent mixtures (viz., methanol + acetone + water, methanol + acetone + benzene, and methanol + chloroform + benzene) have been studied by using an electronic spectroscopic procedure. The transition energy (E) corresponding to the charge-transfer band maximum of the solute in a ternary solvent mixture differs significantly from the average E-values in the component solvents weighted by the mole fraction of the solvents. A two-phase model of solvation has been invoked to explain the results. The excess or deficit of solvent components in the local region of the solute molecule over that in the bulk has been estimated using the knowledge of solvation in binary solvent mixtures.     

Thermosolvatochromism of betaine dyes revisited: theoretical calculations of the concentrations of alcohol-water hydrogen-bonded species and application to solvation in aqueous alcohols

Solvatochromic data of 2,6-diphenyl-4-(2,4,6-triphenylpyridinium-1-yl)phenolate (RB) in aqueous methanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, and 2-methyl-2-propanol at 25 degrees C were recalculated by employing a recently introduced model that explicitly considers the presence of 1:1 alcohol-water hydrogen-bonded species, ROH-W, in bulk solution and their exchange equilibria with water and alcohol in the probe solvation microsphere. The thermosolvatochromic behavior of RB in aqueous ethanol was measured in the temperature range from 10 to 60 degrees C; the results thus obtained were treated according to the same model. All calculations require reliable values of Kdissoc, the dissociation constant of the ROH-W species. This was previously calculated from the dependence of the density of the binary solvent mixture on its composition. Through the use of iteration, the volume of the hydrogen-bonded species, VROH-W, and Kdissoc are obtained simultaneously from the same set of experimental data. This approach may be potentially problematic because Kdissoc and VROH-W are highly correlated. Therefore, we introduced the following approach: (i) VROH-W was obtained from ab initio calculations, (ii) these volumes were corrected for the nonideal behavior of the binary solvent mixtures at different temperatures, (iii) corrected VROH-W values were employed as a constant in the equation used to calculate Kdissoc (from density vs binary solvent mixture composition). VROH-W calculated by the COSMO-RS solvation model fitted the density data better than those calculated by the IEFPCM model. In all aqueous alcohols, solvation by ROH-W is favored over that by the two precursor solvents. In aqueous ethanol, a temperature increase resulted in a gradual desolvation of RB, due to a decrease in the hydrogen-bonding of both components of the mixture. The microscopic polarities of ROH-W are much closer to those of the precursor alcohols.     

Solvatochromism and solvation of ternary iron-diimine-cyanide complexes

Summary The solvatochromic behaviour of several complexes [Fe(LL)₂(CN)₂] with LL=Schiff base diimine has been established in a series of non-aqueous solvents, as has that of two analogues containing diazabutadiene ligands. Transfer chemical potentials have been derived from appropriate solubility measurements for several iron(II)-and iron(III)-diimine-cyanide complexes into aqueous methanol, and for [Fe(bipy)₂(CN)₂] into several binary aqueous solvent series. The usefulness of solvatochromic shifts and transfer chemical potentials as indicators of selective solvation is discussed. Kinetics of oxidation of catechol and of 4-t-butyl catechol by [Fe(bipy)(CN)₄]^– in aqueous solution are described.     

Preferential Solvation and Solvatochromic Parameters in Mixtures of Poly(ethylene glycol)-400 with Some Molecular Organic Solvents

Polyethylene glycols have become more popular alternate reaction media due to interesting properties like non-toxicity, bio-degradability, and full miscibility with water and organic solvents. Binary mixtures of polyethylene glycols with common solvents can be useful to tune their physical and chemical properties and to facilitate chemical and physical processes. In this study, solvatochromic parameters were spectrophotometrically determined for binary solvent mixtures of poly(ethylene glycol)-400 (PEG-400) with methanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, dimethyl sulfoxide, N,N-Dimethylformamide, and dichloromethane under ambient conditions, over the whole range of mole fractions. The solvatochromic parameters showed different trends in protic and aprotic solvents mixed with PEG-400. Methanol/PEG-400 mixtures showed special properties in polarity and polarizability so that the mixtures are more dipolar/polarizable than their pure components. Positive or negative deviations from ideal behavior confirmed that the indicators were involved in a preferential solvation process in the solvent mixtures. These deviations from ideality can be attributed to strong solvent–solvent interactions in the binary mixtures.     

Solubility and solution thermodynamics of 2, 6-bis (4-hydroybenzylidene) cyclohexanone in pure and binary solvents at various temperatures

Solubility of 2, 6-bis (4-hydroxybenzylidene) cyclohexanone (BHBC) in pure solvents such as 1,4-dioxane, methanol, 1-butanol, 1-propanol, ethyl acetate, acetone, tetrahydrofuran (THF), glacial acetic acid, dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) and binary solvents dimethyl formamide (DMF) and (1-Propanol + Tetrahydrofuran) were investigated by gravimetric method at different temperature range. The experiment solubility increases with increase in temperature in both pure and binary solvents. The Maximum solubility is found in DMF at 328.15 K and for binary solvent mixture i.e. 1-propanol and THF (0.9 mol fraction) it was maximum at 318.15 K. Further modified Apelblate and Buchowski-Ksiazczak models were used for the theoretical calculation of solubility of BHBC in pure as well binary solvents. A satisfactory correlation of these models with experimental data was observed. The solution thermodynamics parameters like enthalpies, Gibb's free energy of dissolution and entropy of solutions were calculated using Van't Hoff and Gibb's equation, which reveals the solvation mechanism is non-spontaneous and entropy driven.     

Probing surface basicity of solid acids with an aminobenzodifurandione dye as the solvatochromic probe

Solvatochromism and sorptiochromism of the dye 3-(4-amino-3-methylphenyl)-7-phenyl-benzo1,2b:4,5b'difuran-2,6-dione (1) are studied with an extended set of solvents and various solid acids including silicas, aluminas, and alumosilicates. 1 shows a positive solvatochromism with increasing basicity and dipolarity/polarizability of the solvent; its solvent-induced bathochromic UV-vis absorption band shift ranges from formic acid (upsilon(max) = 21 630 cm(-1)) to hexamethylphosphoric acid triamide (upsilon(max) = 14 200 cm(-1)). Multiple square analyses of upsilon(max) of the solvent-dependent solvatochromic UV-vis absorption band of 1 with several empirical solvent polarity parameters prove that a composite of basicity, acidity, and dipolarity/polarizability of the environment must be taken into account. For the analysis of the solvent-dependent UV-vis shift of 1, the Kamlet-Taft and Catalan solvent parameters have been evaluated. It could be shown that the Catalan solvent parameter set is more suitable to reflect multiple solvation processes involving both strong basic and strong acidic solvents. Quantum chemical calculations indicate that an interaction of the silanol oxygen atom with the protons of the amino group is clearly favored over various acidic attacks of silanol groups upon 1. Accordingly, surface basicity of silica, alumina, and alumosilicates can be determined using the linear solvation energy relationship derived from the solvent-dependent UV-vis band of 1. An unambiguous interpretation of the UV-vis spectroscopic data of 1 adsorbed on surfaces containing Lewis-acid sites is sometimes difficult. UV-vis monitoring of 1-loaded solid acids during surface titration with 2,6-di-tert-butyl pyridine allows the discrimination of whether Br?nsted- or Lewis-acid sites interfere with 1. Additionally, adsorbed water has an important influence on the actual surface basicity of solid acids. 1 is recommended as a sensitive probe for checking both basicity and acidity when directly compared with solvatochromism of the established hydrogen-bond-donating indicator (cis-dicyano)bis(1,10-phenanthroline)iron(II) (2).     

Effect of the medium on the ionization constants of some triazole compounds

The deprotonation and acid ionization constants of some triazole derivatives in various aqueous-organic solvent mixtures were determined potentiometrically at 20 degrees C. The organic solvents used were methanol, ethanol, DMF, DMSO, acetonitrile, acetone and dioxane. The high stabilization of both the non-protonated form by dispersion forces and of the proton by its interaction with the organic solvent are the main factors influencing the deprotonation constant in aqueous mixtures of methanol, ethanol, DMF or DMSO. On the other hand, the hydrogen bonding interactions and the solvent basicity, in addition to the electrostatic effect, contribute to the major effects in the deprotonation process (in solutions enriched with acetonitrile, acetone or dioxane) and the acid ionization process in different aqueous-organic solvent mixtures. Some thermodynamic parameters (delta H, delta G, delta S) of the ionization processes in a pure aqueous medium are also determined and discussed.     

The acidity constants of some pyrimidine bases in various water-organic solvent media

The acid ionization constants of some pyrimidine bases of nucleic acids were determined pH-metrically at 25 degrees C and at the constant ionic strength I = 0.10 mol l(-1) (KNO3) in pure water as well as in aqueous media containing variable mole percentages (5-30%) of organic solvents. The organic solvents used were methanol, ethanol, N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), acetonitrile, acetone and dioxane. The results obtained indicated that the acidity constants are generally decreased as the content of an organic solvent in the medium is increased. It was deduced that the hydrogen bonding interactions and the solvent basicity in addition to the electrostatic effect are the major effects influencing significantly the acid ionization process of pyrimidine bases in the different water-organic solvent media. Some thermodynamic parameters (deltaH, deltaG degrees, deltaS degrees) of the ionization process over the temperature range 5-45 degrees C in pure water were also determined and discussed.     

First study on the thermo-solvatochromism in aqueous 1-(1-Butyl)-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate: a comparison between the solvation by an ionic liquid and by aqueous alcohols

The thermo-solvatochromic behaviors of 2,6-diphenyl-4-(2,4,6-triphenylpyridinium-1-yl) phenolate, RB; 2,6-dichloro-4-(2,4,6-triphenylpyridinium-1-yl) phenolate, WB; 2,6-dibromo-4-[( E)-2-(1-methylpyridinium-4-yl)ethenyl] phenolate, MePMBr 2; 2,6-dibromo-4-[( E)-2-(1-n-octylpyridinium-4-yl)ethenyl] phenolate, OcPMBr 2, have been investigated in binary mixtures of the ionic liquid, IL, 1-(1-butyl)-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluorborate, [BuMeIm][BF 4], and water (W), in the temperature range from 10 to 60 degrees C. Plots of the empirical solvent polarities, E T (probe) in kcal mol (-1), versus the mole fraction of water in the binary mixture, chi w, showed nonlinear, i.e., nonideal behavior. Solvation by these IL-W mixtures shows the following similarities to that by aqueous aliphatic alcohols: The same solvation model can be conveniently employed to treat the data obtained; it is based on the presence in the system-bulk medium and probe solvation shell of IL, W, and the "complex" solvent 1:1 IL-W. The origin of the nonideal solvation behavior appears to be the same, preferential solvation of the probe, in particular by the complex solvent. The strength of association of the IL-W complex, and the polarity of the IL are situated between the corresponding values of aqueous methanol and aqueous ethanol. Temperature increase causes a gradual desolvation of all probes employed. A difference between solvation by IL-W and aqueous alcohols is that probe-solvent hydrophobic interactions appear to play a minor role in case of the former mixture, probably because solvation is dominated by hydrogen-bonding and Coulombic interactions between the ions of the IL and the zwitterionic probes.     

Kamlet–Taft's Solvatochromic Parameters for Nonaqueous Binary Mixtures between n-Hexane and 2-Propanol, Tetrahydrofurane, and Ethyl Acetate

The π*, α, and β Kamlet–Taft solvatochromic solvent parameters have been determined for nonaqueous binary mixtures commonly used in normal-phase liquid chromatography (NPLC), such as ethyl acetate n-hexane, tetrahydrofurane n-hexane, and 2-propanol n-hexane from spectroscopic data by using several UV-visible absorbing probes. Because preferential solvation is almost nonexistent for the π* probes in the different binary mixtures, we conclude that the measured values reflect quite well the dipolarity–polarizability of the bulk solution. However, strong preferential solvation for the different α and β probes in all mixtures studied here shows that the solvent parameters obtained reflect the properties of the solvation shell more than the bulk properties. This observation does not necessarily mean that the α and β values obtained will not be useful in multiple linear regressions (MLR), but results should be interpreted with care and will depend on the particular situation. Actually, results will make sense only if the particular solute under study preferentially solvates in a fashion similar to that of the α and β solvatochromic probes.     

Solvatochromism and piezochromism of dicyano-, tricyano-, and tetracyano-diimine-iron(II) complexes

The solvatochromism of several dicyano-bis-diimine-iron(II) complexes in various binary aqueous solvent mixtures has been established, at 25 °C. A solvent sensitivity scale has been developed for these complexes. The solvatochromic properties of two tricyano-terdentate ligand iron(II) complexes in several solvents have also been determined, as have those of a series of tetracyano-diimine complexes in DMSO–water media. These results have been analysed and systematic but varied trends of solvation were demonstrated. Piezochromic parameters for two complexes have been obtained and are discussed in the context of a solvatochromism/piezochromism correlation.