Molecular probes of solvation phenomena

The properties of the molecules present in any chemical or biological system are dependent on interactions with the environment, and a quantitative understanding of solvation phenomena remains a major challenge. Molecular recognition probes provide a new approach to quantitatively measure the properties of solvents. Traditionally, solvent polarity scales have been based on spectroscopic probes that provide insight into the nature of solvent-solute interactions. This review compares the solvent polarity parameters obtained from the wavelengths of UV/Visible absorption maxima with solute H-bond parameters obtained from the free energies of solution equilibria. The similarity of the solvent and solute H-bond scales leads to a general H-bond scale that uses the same parameters to describe both solvent and solute. The general H-bond scale provides a framework for understanding the relationship between local intermolecular interactions and the properties of the bulk medium. Intermolecular interactions are sensitive to solvation equilibria, so molecular recognition probes provide fundamentally different information from spectroscopic probes that are sensitive to the populations of different solvation states of the solute. Studies of mixed solvents demonstrate the potential of molecular recognition probes for providing new insights into solvation phenomena.     

Relation between preferential solvation and intrinsic viscosity of polymers in solvent mixtures

Preferential solvation and intrinsic viscosity measurements are reported for three systems: polystyrene + benzene + methanol, polystyrene + carbon tetrachloride + methanol, and poly(2-vinylpyridine) + ethanol + cyclohexane. Plots of the coefficient of preferential solvation λ′ as a function of variation of the segment density Δ_ρ for a given ternary system, give a single curve for a large range of molecular weight and solvent mixture composition. This correlation between λ′ and Δ_ρ is verified in previously published data.     

Study of the preferential solvation of some betaine dyes in binary solvent mixtures

The preferential solvation (PS) in mixed binary solvents, e.g. dichloromethane/acetonitrile, dichloromethane/methanol, acetonitrile/water has been studied by monitoring the charge transfer band of some betaine dyes. Since PS accounts for dielectric as well as specific interactions while dielectric enrichment only for the former, it was shown that in the case of dichloromethane/methanol, hydrogen bonding precedes dielectric enrichment whereas in the case of acetonitrile/water the inverse is true.     

Electronic spectroscopic study of solvation of a ketocyanine dye in ternary solvent mixtures

Solvation characteristics in ternary solvent mixtures have been studied by monitoring the solvent-sensitive electronic absorption band of a ketocyanine dye in two ternary solvent mixtures, water + ethanol + benzene and water + ethanol + cyclohexane, in which one of the pairs are partially miscible. Investigations have been done in a completely miscible region including the binodal curve. 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, indicating preferential solvation by a component solvent. The results in ternary solvent mixture have been explained in terms of a realistic model of solvation using the results on binary solvation.     

Preferential solvation of phenol in binary solvent mixtures. A molecular dynamics study

Molecular dynamics computer simulations were carried out to study the preferential solvation of phenol in equimolar acetonitrile-water and ethanol-water binary mixtures. Two water models were used to investigate the model dependence of preferential solvation. The results are compared to recent intermolecular 1H NOESY experiments reported on the same systems. In the case of acetonitrile-water the local mole fraction obtained from simulations agrees quite well with experiments. In the case of ethanol-water there was a qualitative difference, which was observed for both water models. However, when comparing the degree of preferential solvation of the two cosolvents ethanol and acetonitrile with each of the two water models, the trend obtained from the simulations agrees with experimental data.     

Nonideal gas solvation thermodynamics

General expressions are obtained for the thermodynamic properties of nonideal gases of arbitrary composition. These include the equation of state and solvation thermodynamic functions of mixtures with any number of components, expanded to first order in total number density. The results are expressed in terms of binary second virial coefficients which are in turn related to binary interaction potential energy functions. Solvation thermodynamic functions (at both constant pressure and constant volume) are decomposed into solute-solvent and solvent-reorganization contributions, thus indicating how each of the latter quantities may be experimentally measured. Moreover, the results are used to identify solute-induced changes in solvent thermodynamic functions, as well as nonideal (excess) contributions to chemical reaction equilibria and solvation heat capacities. The effects of a solute on the reorganization energy and chemical potential of a nonideal solvent are shown to differ qualitatively from both the corresponding ideal gas and high density fluid results.     

The statistical thermodynamics of solvation

Statistical mechanics provides the basis for a rigorous theory of molecules and molecular complexes in chemically inert media. It is found that the free energy of solvation may be calculated, provided the distribution function for the solvent molecules around the solute molecules is known. A relation is deduced between the volume change on dissolving, the free energy of solvation, and the isothermal compressibility of the pure solvent. The general equations are applied to a solution of solid spheres in a structureless medium. The theoretical deductions are found to be in qualitative agreement with the thermodynamic solvation parameters for oxygen and argon in inert solvents.     

Solvatochromic study on nitroanilines. Preferential solvation vs dielectric enrichment in binary solvent mixtures

The preferential solvation approach and the dielectric enrichment model have been applied to explain the solvatochromic behavior of o-, m- and p-nitroaniline (oNA, mNA and pNA) in several binary solvent mixtures. Cyclohexane was used as the “inert” nonpolar cosolvent in every mixture. The other solvents were chosen trying to vary their polarity as much as possible as well as their hydrogen bond donor or acceptor capabilities. Preferential solvation is detected in every solvent mixture studied. These global interactions were quantified by calculating the preferential solvation constant, K. Also, by using the previously developed model, we calculated for each pair of solvent mixtures a theoretical curve and the corresponding K_D due to dielectric enrichment. Non hydrogen bond acceptor solvents (β=0), give values of K quite similar to those of K_D, indicating that the preferential interaction is practically dielectric in nature. When the interacting solvent is a hydrogen bond acceptor, the values of K are higher than K_D according to the acidity of the H in the amino group in the solutes. The values of K as well as of K_D for any solvent mixtures in general follow the order pNA > mNA > oNA as expected, considering the values of μ_g and μ_g-μ_ex. Studies in pure solvent support previous conclusions.     

Preferential solvation of Brooker's merocyanine in binary solvent mixtures composed of formamides and hydroxylic solvents

The ET polarity values of 4-[(1-methyl-4(1H)-pyridinylidene)-ethylidene]-2,5-cyclohexadien-1-one (Brooker's merocyanine) were collected in mixed-solvent systems comprising a formamide [N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), N-methylformamide (NMF) or formamide (FA)] and a hydroxylic (water, methanol, ethanol, propan-2-ol or butan-1-ol) solvent. Binary mixtures involving DMF and the other formamides (NMF and FA) as well as NMF and FA were also studied. These data were employed in the investigation of the preferential solvation (PS) of the probe. Each solvent system was analyzed in terms of both solute-solvent and solvent-solvent interactions. These latter interactions were responsible for the synergism observed in many binary mixtures. This synergistic behaviour was observed for DMF-propan-2-ol, DMF-butan-1-ol, FA-methanol, FA-ethanol and for the mixtures of the alcohols with NMF. All data were successfully fitted to a model based on solvent-exchange equilibria, which allowed the separation of the different contributions of the solvent species in the solvation shell of the dye. The results suggest that both hydrogen bonding and solvophobic interactions contribute to the formation of the solvent complexes responsible for the observed synergistic effects in the PS of the dye.     

Spectroscopic determination of solvation shell composition of fluorenone and 4-hydroxyfluorenone in binary solvent mixtures

Preferential solvation of fluorenone (9Fl) and 4-hydroxyfluorenone (4HOFl) in binary solvent mixtures (cyclohexane-tetrahydrofuran (CH-THF) and cyclohexane-ethanol (CH-EtOH)) has been studied using steady-state spectroscopic measurements. The solvation of the fluorenones, both in the ground and in the excited states, exhibits a non-linear solvatochromic shifts as a function of polar component in the binary solvent mixtures. The results of spectroscopic measurements were used to calculate, according to Bakhshiev's and Kiselev's theory, the fluorescence spectra of solvates having different number of polar component in the first solvation shell. The different features of fluorescence spectra of molecule under study in CH-THF and CH-EtOH are explained by the absence and presence of specific solute-solvent interactions (hydrogen bond).     

Variation of thermodynamic parameters of crown ether-metal complex formation and reactant solvation in binary nonaqueous solvent mixtures

General trends in the variation of thermodynamic parameters of complex formation of crown ethers with d-metal ions in binary nonaqueous solvent mixtures were determined. An equation was proposed for predicting variation of the stability of coordination compounds upon replacement of one nonaqueous solvent by another on the basis of the change in the Gibbs energy of solvation of the central ion. Calculation of the Gibbs energies for the formation of the [Ag18C6]⁺ ion in acetonitrile and a number of nonaqueous solvents confirmed the predictive ability of the proposed equation.     

Liquid structure and preferential solvation of metal ions in solvent mixtures of N,N-dimethylformamide and N-methylformamide

Raman spectra of aprotic N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and protic N-methylformamide (NMF) mixtures containing manganese(II), nickel(II), and zinc(II) perchlorate were obtained, and the individual solvation numbers around the metal ions were determined over the whole range of solvent compositions. Variation profiles of the individual solvation numbers with solvent composition showed no significant difference among the metal systems examined. In all of these metal systems, no preferential solvation occurs in mixtures with DMF mole fraction of x(DMF) < 0.5, whereas DMF preferentially solvates the metal ions at x(DMF) > 0.5. The liquid structure of the mixtures was also studied by means of small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and low-frequency Raman spectroscopy. SANS experiments demonstrate that DMF molecules do not appreciably self-aggregate in the mixtures over the whole range of solvent composition. Low-frequency Raman spectroscopy suggests that DMF molecules are extensively hydrogen-bonded with NMF in NMF-rich mixtures, whereas NMF molecules extensively self-aggregate in DMF-rich mixtures, although the liquid structure in neat NMF is partly ruptured. The bulk solvent structure in the mixtures thus varies with solvent composition, which plays a decisive role in developing the varying profiles of the individual solvation numbers of metal ions in the solvent mixtures.     

Molecular thermodynamics of fluid mixtures containing molecules differing in size and potential energy

Recent computer-simulation work by Shing and Gubbins (1983) for binary mixtures has shown that common semiempirical models (van der Waals n-fluid models) are in error when the molecules of the two components differ appreciably in size; the error is most severe in the dilute region. While perturbation theories are much better, they (like computer simulations) are not as yet useful for engineering work because of prohibitive computer requirements.This work proposes an algebraic expression for the Helmholtz energy of a mixture which gives results in very good agreement with those reported by Shing and Gubbins. This expression, using the local-composition concept, is based on a simplified but realistic picture of a fluid mixture: short-range order and long-range disorder. The proposed expression uses the Mansoori-Carnahan-Starling-Leland equation for the contribution of repulsive forces. For the contribution of attractive forces, it uses a new expression based on not one but several radii for the first-neighbor shell, one radius for each component.With reasonable simplifications, the resulting equation for the Helmholtz energy indicates that the van der Waals “constant” a is a strict quadratic function of mole fraction only at very low densities; at advanced densities, there are small deviations from the quadratic mixing rule. For practical calculations, the computer requirements are nearly the same as those for conventional engineering models.     

Solubility and preferential solvation of indomethacin in 1,4-dioxane + water solvent mixtures

The solubilities of indomethacin (IMC) in 1,4-dioxane + water cosolvent mixtures were determined at several temperatures, 293.15–313.15 K. The thermodynamic functions: Gibbs energy, enthalpy, and entropy of solution and of mixing were obtained from these data by using the van’t Hoff and Gibbs equations. The solubility was maximal in 0.95 mass fraction of 1,4-dioxane and very low in pure water at all the temperatures. A non-linear plot of ΔH_soln ° vs. ΔG_soln ° with negative slope from pure water up to 0.60 mass fraction of 1,4-dioxane and positive beyond this up to 0.95 mass fraction of 1,4-dioxane was obtained. Accordingly, the driving mechanism for IMC solubility in water-rich mixtures is the entropy, probably due to water-structure loss around the drug non-polar moieties by 1,4-dioxane, whereas, above 0.60 mass fraction of 1,4-dioxane the driving mechanism is the enthalpy, probably due to IMC solvation increase by the co-solvent molecules. The preferential solvation of IMC by the components of the solvent was estimated by means of the quasi-lattice quasi-chemical method, whereas the inverse Kirkwood-Buff integral method could not be applied because of divergence of the integrals in intermediate compositions.     

Role of water structure in thermodynamics of nonpolar solvation

The SSOZ (site-site Ornstein-Zernike) equation with an original closure condition for liquid molecular systems is used to calculate thermodynamic functions of noble gas solvation in water. Water is modeled by two close sets of atom-atomic potential functions. The calculations indicate that the chemical solvation potential is strongly sensitive to water structure. A comparison with experiment is given. Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences. Translated fromZhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 37, No. 4, pp. 736–741, July–August, 1996. Translated by L. Smolina     

Preferential solvation of acridine in binary mixtures

Preferential solvation studies of acridine have been investigated using optical absorption technique. The preferential solvation parameter shows that in dimethyl formamide (DMF)+ethanol mixture, the acridine is preferentially solvated by ethanol in DMF rich region and by DMF in ethanol rich region. In the case of DMF+Carbon tetrachloride mixture acridine is preferentially solvated by DMF.     

Initial state and transition state solvation effects in the cobaltitungstate oxidation of iodide in binary aqueous solvent mixtures

Summary Rate constants are reported for 12-tungstocobaltate(III) [CoW₁₂O₄₀]^5– oxidation of iodide in water and in binary aqueous solvent mixtures containing up to 40% methanol, 40% acetonitrile, or 60% dimethyl sulphoxide. From these kinetic results, solubility measurements on potassium 12-tungstocobaltate(III), and published data on Gibbs free energies of transfer of appropriate ions, it has been deduced that the dominant factor in determining the marked decrease in rate observed on going from water into the binary aqueous solvent mixtures is destabilisation of the transition state for the electron-transfer reaction.     

Fluorinated nitroxides as ESR probes of solvation

Some newly synthesized fluorinated nitroxides, such as t-butyl perfluoroalkyl nitroxides Bu^tN(O) R_f (R_f=CF₃, 5; C₂F₅, 6; n-C₃F₇, 7) and s-butyl perfluoroacyl nitroxides Bu^sN(O) COR_f (R_f=CF₃, 9; n-C₃F₇, 10) have been employed as ESR probes of solvation in different common organic solvents. In aprotic solvents, the measured a_N values for each of the nitroxyl probes show a linear correlation with the cybotactic polar solvent parameters E_T (Dimroth) and Z (Kosowar), i.e. a_N=bE_T+c, and a_N=b′Z+c′. The physical significance for the slope (b or b′), the slope×E_T or slope×Z, the extrapolated intercept on a_N axis, c or c′, are linked, respectively, to the sensitivity of a specific nitroxide toward solvation, the magnitude of the overall solvation effect on the a_N value, and the intrinsic a_N value of each nitroxide in the ideal gaseous state. The intercept on the a_N axis may also serve as a new measure of electronegativity for perfluoroalkyl groups, CF₃, C₂F₅, n-C₃F₇, and perfluoroacyl groups, CF₃CO, n-C₃F₇CO. In protic solvents, i.e. alcohols and carboxylic acids, however, a_N values of all the probes, kept almost no change with the increase in E_T and Z. Furthermore, the plots of a_N versus non-cybotactic solvent constants, such as dipolar moment (μ) and dielectric constant (ε), all show random variations.     

Molecular recognition thermodynamics of pyridine derivatives by sulfonatocalixarenes at different pH values

The complex stability constants (Ka) and thermodynamic parameters (DeltaG degrees, DeltaH degrees, and TDeltaS degrees) for 1:1 complexation of water-soluble calix[4]arene, thiacalix[4]arene, and calix[5]arene sulfonates with pyridine and their methylated derivatives have been determined by means of isothermal titration calorimetry at pH 2.0 and 7.2 at 298.15 K, and their binding modes have been investigated by NMR spectroscopy. The results obtained show that sulfonatocalixarenes afford stronger binding ability toward pyridine guests at pH 2.0, attributable to the positive electrostatic interactions and the more extensive desolvation effects, but present higher molecular selectivity at pH 7.2 owing to the strengthened C-H...pi interactions. The pH-responsible binding ability and molecular selectivity are discussed from the viewpoint of electrostatic, pi-stacking, van der Waals interactions and size-fit relationship between host and guest. A close comparison further demonstrates that the C-H...pi interactions and van der Waals interactions play a more important role than pi...pi interactions in the present inclusion complexation.     

Solution thermodynamics and preferential solvation of hesperidin in aqueous cosolvent mixtures of ethanol,isopropanol, propylene glycol,and n-propanol

The solubility of hesperidin in some {cosolvent (1) + water (2)} mixtures expressed in mole fraction at temperatures from 293.15 K to 333.15 K reported by Xu et al. has been used to calculate the apparent thermodynamic functions, Gibbs energy, enthalpy, and entropy, of the dissolution processes by means of the van’t Hoff and Gibbs equations. Non-linear enthalpy–entropy relationships were observed for this drug in the plots of enthalpy vs. Gibbs energy of dissolution with positive or negative slopes regarding mixtures composition and/or cosolvent. Moreover, the preferential solvation of hesperidin by the cosolvents was analysed by using the inverse Kirkwood–Buff integrals observing that this drug is preferentially solvated by water in water-rich but preferentially solvated by cosolvents in mixtures 0.20 (or 0.24) ≤ x₁° ≤ 1.00. Furthermore, a new mathematical model was proposed for correlating/predicting the solubility of hesperidin in binary solvent mixtures at various temperatures.