Solvophobic effects: Qualitative determination and quantitative description

Solvophobic effects strongly influence the thermodynamic properties of solutions and are one of the driving forces of self-assembly processes of supramolecular structures. However, the generally accepted definition and a quantitative measure of these effects have so far been absent. Based on the analysis of a large set of experimental data on the thermodynamic functions of solvation in various systems, we propose a qualitative criterion allowing us to judge about whether the solvophobic effects are manifested in the solution or not, and also a method to determine their contributions to the thermodynamic functions of solvation. A feature of the solvophobic effect is a violation of the linear relationship between the Gibbs free energy and the enthalpy of solvation, which is fulfilled for the solutions of different compounds in many non-associated solvents. It is shown that in self-associated solvents the solvophobic effect is observed for any dissolved compounds, including well soluble ones, resulting in an increase in the Gibbs energy of solvation. Previously proposed solvophobicity parameters are considered and compared with our results.     

Calculating the Gibbs energy of hydrogen bonding for proton acceptors with a solvent in methanol solutions

We propose a method for calculating the Gibbs energies of hydrogen bonding of solutes with associated solvents via the thermodynamic analysis of experimental values of solvation Gibbs energies. The method is applied to solutions of different proton acceptors in methanol. It is shown that the contribution of hydrogen bonding processes to the solvation Gibbs energy in methanol is in most cases very different in magnitude from the formation Gibbs energy of equimolar complexes of the solute and methanol. We demonstrate the need to include the contributions from solvophobic effects in investigating intermolecular interactions in associated solvents by means of thermodynamic data.     

Thermodynamics of solvation and solvophobic effect in formamide

Using semi-adiabatic calorimetry, we measured the enthalpies of solution for various low-polar compounds including alkanes, aromatic hydrocarbons and their halogenated derivatives in formamide at temperature of 298 K. For the same compounds, the values of limiting activity coefficients in formamide were determined using GC headspace analysis at 298 K, and Gibbs free energies of solution and solvation were calculated. Based on these data and the available literature values of the Gibbs free energy of solvation in formamide for a number of other low-polar solutes, a study of the solvophobic effect in this solvent is performed, and its resemblance to the hydrophobic effect in aqueous solutions is demonstrated. It is shown that the contribution of the solvophobic effect into the solvation Gibbs free energy in formamide is much higher than that in aliphatic alcohols, but lower than that in water. Like in water, the magnitude of this contribution for different solutes linearly increases with the solute molecular volume. Solvophobic effect also significantly affects the enthalpies of dissolution in formamide, causing them to be more negative in the case of alkanes and more positive in the case of arenes.     

On the influence of solvents on the rate of ion-transfer reactions

The literature data on the kinetics of cation electrodeposition on mercury in different solvents were analysed. For all cations considered in different solvents there was a linear decrease of the logarithm of the standard charge-transfer rate constant with increasing basicity of solvent and with more negative formal potential of the electrode reaction expressed in the scale of a solvent-independent electrode, as well as a linear dependence of the activation energy on the Gibbs energy of cation transfer. No dependence of the logarithm of the heterogeneous rate constant on the rate of exchange of solvent molecules from the first solvation sphere was observed. For the different electrode systems studied in one solvent, the dependences of the activation energy on (i) the cation solvation energy, (ii) the Gibbs energy of metal amalgamation, and (iii) metal solubility in mercury were analysed.     

Stability of H‐complexes of nicotinamide nitrogen heteroatom with water and ethanol in mixed solvents by 13C NMR probing

The formation constants of the nicotinamide H‐complexes with protonic solvents such as water and ethanol in aqueous dimethyl sulfoxide and aqueous ethanol were determined using ¹³C NMR data. Free Gibbs energy of nicotinamide donor center (nitrogen heteroatom) solvation was calculated. Gibbs energy of entire nicotinamide molecule solvation was shown to be antibate towards Gibbs energy of a pyridine nitrogen solvation. The solvation state of this molecule fragment must be taken into consideration when analyzing the reagents contributions in the thermodynamics of complexation. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermodynamic studies of binary methanol and ethanol solutions of 1-dodecanol and 1-tetradecanol at 25°C

The osmotic coefficients of binary methanol and ethanol solutions of 1-dodecanol and 1-tetradecanol wer measured at 25°C up to 8 mol-kg^–1 in methanol and 5.5 mol-kg^–1 in ethanol. The activity coefficients of the solute were calculated from Bjerrum's relation. From the osmotic and activity coeficients the excess Gibbs energies of solution as well as the respective partial molar functions of solute and solvent and the virial pair interaction coefficients for the excess Gibbs energies were calculated. In addition, the difference in the Gibbs energy of solvation for the solvent in solution relative to the pure solvent was calculated, as well as the partial molar volumes and excess partial molar volumes of solutes at infinite dilution, and the coefficients of pairwise contributions to the excess volume were determined. The thermodynamic parameters obtained are discussed on the basis of solute-solvent and solute-solute interactions.     

Thermodynamics of Complexation of 18-Crown-6 with NH4+ Ion in Water-Dioxane Mixtures

The stability constants of 1 : 1 complexes of ammonium ion with 18-crown-6 in water and aqueous dioxane (dioxane weight fraction 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8) in the range 283-318 K were determined electrometrically, and the thermodynamic parameters of the complexation were calculated. The stability of the complexes is determined by the enthalpy factor. The contributions from the Gibbs energy of solvation of NH₄ ⁺ ion, 18-crown-6·NH₄ ⁺ complex, and free 18-crown-6 to stabilization of the complex with increasing content of dioxane in the mixed solvent were estimated. The thermodynamics of complexation of ammonium, sodium, and potassium ions with 18-crown-6 in aqueous-organic solvents, such as water-2-propanol, water-acetone, and water-dioxane, were compared considering the effects of reactant solvation. The variations of the conformational component of the Gibbs energy of solvation of 18-crown-6 and the parameters of selective solvation of the reactants were evaluated. The influence of the dielectric permittivity and donor-acceptor properties of mixed aqueous-organic solvents on the Gibbs energy of complexation and solvation of the cations and 18-crown-6 was subjected to correlation analysis.     

Solubility and solution thermodynamics of sorbic acid in eight pure organic solvents

By the gravimetric method, the solubility of sorbic acid in eight solvents including ethanol, 2-propanol, methanol, 1-butanol, ethyl acetate, methyl tert-butyl ether, acetone and acetonitrile was determined over a temperature range from 285.15 to K at atmospheric pressure. For the temperature range investigated, the solubility of sorbic acid in the solvents increased with increasing temperature. The experimental values were correlated with the linear solvation energy relationship, modified Apelblat equation, λh equation, non-random two-liquid (NRTL) model, and Wilson model. On the other hand, the enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs free energy of dissolution were obtained from these solubility values by using the van’t Hoff and Gibbs equations. The excess enthalpy of solution was estimated on the basis of λh equation. Furthermore, the a priori predictive model COSMO-RS was employed to predict the solubility of sorbic acid in selected solvents and reasonable agreement with experimental values is achieved.     

A method for calculating the Gibbs energy of nonspecific solvation

A method for calculating the Gibbs energy of nonspecific solvation of nonelectrolytes was suggested. The new equation for the Gibbs energy of nonspecific solvation contains one solvent parameter that characterize nonspecific solvent-solute interactions and two experimental Gibbs energies of solvation in two standard solvents. The method is applicable to a wide range of solutes and solvents. It was successfully used to describe some 800 Gibbs energies of solvation for systems without specific solvent-solute interactions.     

Evaluation of the contribution to hydration of nonelectrolytes from the hydrophobic effect

A new method was suggested for estimating the hydrophobic effect of contributions to the Gibbs energies and enthalpies of hydration of hydrocarbons, inorganic gases and rare gases. In accordance with this method the hydrophobic effect contribution to the Gibbs energy was evaluated from the difference between the hydration Gibbs energy of a solute and the non hydrophobic contribution. To estimate the latter value, the known dependence connecting the Gibbs energies of solvation of a solute in a number of aprotic solvents to the Hildebrand solubility parameter for these solvents was used. The non hydrophobic contribution to the Gibbs energy of hydration was calculated for various solutes from such dependences extended to water as solvent. The Hildebrand solubility parameter for water used in the calculation was corrected for the effect of association through hydrogen bonding. This correction was made by subtraction of the water self-association enthalpy from the enthalpy of vaporization of water. The evaluated Gibbs energies of the hydrophobic effect are positive for saturated hydrocarbons, inorganic gases and rare gases and linearly depend on the solute molecular refraction. The hydrophobic contribution to the hydration enthalpies of the solutes was calculated in the same manner as was made to calculate the hydrophobic contribution to Gibbs energies of hydration. Enthalpies of the hydrophobic effect for the solutes under study are negative.     

Thermodynamics of the solvation and phase distributions of 2,2′-dipyridyl in acetonitrile-DMSO-hexane and methanol-DMSO-hexane systems

The Gibbs energies of 2,2′-dipyridyl when transferred from dimethyl sulfoxide to its mixtures with acetonitrile and methanol are determined from the distribution of substance between immiscible phases. It is found that moving from dimethyl sulfoxide to acetonitrile and methanol weakens the solvation of 2,2′-dipyridyl due to a change in the solvation of amino groups and the hydrocarbon substituent, which is reflected in a reduction in the entropy component of the Gibbs energy.     

Single-ion solvation free energies and the normal hydrogen electrode potential in methanol, acetonitrile, and dimethyl sulfoxide

The division of thermodynamic solvation free energies of electrolytes into contributions from individual ionic constituents is conventionally accomplished by using the single-ion solvation free energy of one reference ion, conventionally the proton, to set the single-ion scales. Thus, the determination of the free energy of solvation of the proton in various solvents is a fundamental issue of central importance in solution chemistry. In the present article, relative solvation free energies of ions and ion-solvent clusters in methanol, acetonitrile, and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) have been determined using a combination of experimental and theoretical gas-phase free energies of formation, solution-phase reduction potentials and acid dissociation constants, and gas-phase clustering free energies. Applying the cluster pair approximation to differences between these relative solvation free energies leads to values of -263.5, -260.2, and -273.3 kcal/mol for the absolute solvation free energy of the proton in methanol, acetonitrile, and DMSO, respectively. The final absolute proton solvation free energies are used to assign absolute values for the normal hydrogen electrode potential and the solvation free energies of other single ions in the solvents mentioned above.     

A method to determine the Gibbs energy of specific interactions in solutions. Hydrogen bonding of proton donating solutes in basic solvents

One of two fundamental types of solute–solvent intermolecular interactions are the specific interactions, such as hydrogen bonding complexation between solute and solvent. The Gibbs energy of specific interactions is an important quantity that determines rate and equilibrium constants in solutions, but it is difficult to obtain by direct measurement. We proposed equations allowing to determine the contribution of specific interactions to the Gibbs energy of solvation in nonelectrolyte solutions. Applying it for the case of proton donating solutes with one acidic hydrogen atom dissolved in basic solvents, we obtained the values of the Gibbs energies of 1:1 complexation in pure base. These values have been compared with the Gibbs energies of 1:1 complexation in tetrachloromethane. Most of the hydrogen bonds are found to have the same energy in pure base and in CCl₄, however, some weakly bound complexes seem to become even more weakened in pure base medium. Suggested method is applicable in a general situation when multiple associates of different stoichiometry and structure are formed.     

Free energy of solvation from molecular dynamics simulation applying Voronoi-Delaunay triangulation to the cavity creation

The free energy of solvation for a large number of representative solutes in various solvents has been calculated from the polarizable continuum model coupled to molecular dynamics computer simulation. A new algorithm based on the Voronoi-Delaunay triangulation of atom-atom contact points between the solute and the solvent molecules is presented for the estimation of the solvent-accessible surface surrounding the solute. The volume of the inscribed cavity is used to rescale the cavitational contribution to the solvation free energy for each atom of the solute atom within scaled particle theory. The computation of the electrostatic free energy of solvation is performed using the Voronoi-Delaunay surface around the solute as the boundary for the polarizable continuum model. Additional short-range contributions to the solvation free energy are included directly from the solute-solvent force field for the van der Waals-type interactions. Calculated solvation free energies for neutral molecules dissolved in benzene, water, CCl4, and octanol are compared with experimental data. We found an excellent correlation between the experimental and computed free energies of solvation for all the solvents. In addition, the employed algorithm for the cavity creation by Voronoi-Delaunay triangulation is compared with the GEPOL algorithm and is shown to predict more accurate free energies of solvation, especially in solvents composed by molecules with nonspherical molecular shapes.     

Role of the solvophobic effect on micellization

Experimental data of amphiphiles aggregation phenomena in water-organic solvent mixtures were considered with the idea of investigating the role of the solvophobic effect on micellization. Changes in the critical micelle concentration, in the micellar ionization degree (for ionic surfactants) and in the aggregation number accompanying variations in the composition of the bulk phase of the micellar solutions were examined with the scope of understanding which properties of the water-organic solvent mixtures are important in the micellization process. Results point out that the cohesive energy density, measured either through the Hildebrand-Hansen solubility parameter or the Gordon parameter, seems to play an important role in determining the contribution of the solvophobic effect on the Gibbs energy of micellization in water-organic solvents mixtures.     

Studies on solvophobic interactions and micelle formation in non aqueous solvents

Micelle formation of various surfactants, such as sodium caprylate, sodium laurate, sodium palmitate and sodium stearate has been studied in organic solvents of various dielectric constants and intermolecular H-bonding capability, viz. molten acetamide, N-methyl acetamide (NMA) and N,N-dimethyl acetamide (DMA), at different temperatures by electrical conductivity and surface tension methods. Both methods show that micelles are formed in acetamide, NMA and DMA. Gibbs energy changes, enthalpies and entropies of micelle formation, respectively, have been determined by studying the variation of critical micelle concentration (c.m.c.) with temperature. Micelle formation in these solvents has been explained on the basis of several factors such as dielectric constant of the medium, its intermolecular H-bonding capability including solvophobic interaction.     

Solvation effect of guest, supramolecular host, and host-guest compounds on the thermodynamic selectivity of calix(4)arene derivatives and soft metal cations

This paper reports thermodynamic data for the transfer of calixarene derivatives and their metal-ion complexes in dipolar aprotic solvents. These data are used to assess the effect of solvation of these compounds on the selective complexation shown by these macrocycles for soft metal cations in different media. Thus, solubilities and derived Gibbs energies of solution of 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl[25,27-bis(hydroxyl)-26,28-bis(ethylthioethoxy)]calix(4)arene, 1, and 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-[25,27-bis(ethylenethanoate)-26,28-bis(ethylthioethoxy)]-calix(4)arene, 2, in various solvents at 298.15 K are reported. Solvation of these ligands in one medium relative to another is analyzed from their standard transfer Gibbs energies using acetonitrile as the reference solvent. These data are combined with transfer enthalpies (derived from standard solution enthalpies obtained calorimetrically) to calculate the corresponding entropies of transfer of these calix(4)arene derivatives from acetonitrile to methanol and N,N-dimethylformamide. As far as the metal-ion salts (silver and mercury) in their free and complex forms are concerned, standard solution enthalpies were determined in acetonitrile, methanol, and N,N-dimethylformamide. These data are used to derive their transfer enthalpies from one medium to another. It is concluded that the extent of complexation of these macrocycles with soft metal cations is controlled by not only the solvation changes that the free cation undergoes in moving from one medium to another but also those for the ligand and its complex cation in these solvents.     

Shared solvation of sodium ions in alcohol-water solutions explains the non-ideality of free energy of solvation

In order to explain the discrepancies between theories and experiments regarding the non-ideality in the free energy of solvation, here we present a microscopic picture of sodium ions dissolved in water-alcohol mixed solvents. We used X-ray absorption spectroscopy to probe the K-edge of sodium ions in mixed solvents of water and alcohols (methanol, ethanol) and in the respective pure solvents. In the mixed solvents a shared solvation of the sodium ions is observed. We find that specifically the water component plays a key role in stabilizing the solvation shell in mixed solvents, which was revealed by a selective photochemical process occurring only in the pure alcohol solvents.     

Solvent effects on the thermodynamics of the formation of hydrogen bonded complexes ofm-cresol III

Thermodynamic parameters for the hydrogen bonded complexes of m-cresol with various bases in the solvent benzene have been determined from calorimetric and spectroscopic data. These data were analyzed by linear solvation energy relationships. When combined with data previously determined for the same complexes in CCl₄ and cyclohexane solvents, it is shown that solvent effects on the thermodynamics of hydrogen bond formation are due to solvation of the free m-cresol and base through dipolar and perhaps donor-acceptor interactions.     

Solvation and pairwise association in a 2D fluid

It is shown that it is possible: (a) to derive the 2D scaled particle theory formula of the reversible work of cavity creation using a geometric approach; (b) to obtain the solvation Gibbs energy in a 2D Lennard-Jones fluid; (c) to calculate the solvent contribution to the solvophobic interaction of two Lennard-Jones disks on the basis of geometric arguments. The solvent-excluded surface area associated with cavity creation decreases significantly upon pairwise association, leading to a marked increase in the configurational/translational entropy of solvent disks.