Solvation of amides of carboxylic acids in aqueous solutions of ethylene glycol

Enthalpies of solution of amides of formic, acetic, and propionic acids with different degrees of N-substitution in aqueous solutions of ethylene glycol were measured at 298.15 K. The concentration of ethylene glycol did not exceed 4 mol kg^–1. The reasons for increasing endothermic values of the enthalpies characterizing the amide transfer from water to a mixed aqueous-organic solvent on going from primary to tertiary amides and from formamides to the corresponding acetamides are discussed. The enthalpic coefficients of pair interactions between amides and ethylene glycol in water were calculated. The endothermicity of the interaction of the alkyl groups of the amide molecules with ethylene glycol results in positive values of the coefficients. The coefficient values increase with the enhancement of the hydrophobic properties of hydrophilic non-electrolytes (urea, formamide, ethylene glycol) due to an increase in the contribution of the hydrophobic component and a decrease in the contribution from the interaction of the polar groups of amides to the total interaction.