NMR studies of preferential solvation of sodium cation in mixtures of N-methylformamide with water and some nonaqueous solvents

Sodium-23 NMR chemical shifts and linewidths have been measured for 0.1M NaClO₄ in binary mixtures of N-methylformamide (NMF) with a series of other solvents, as a function of the solvent mole fraction. The relative solvent composition at the isosolvation point, the mid-value of the Na-23 chemical shift between those measured in the respective pure solvents, reveals preferential solvation of the sodium cation in many cases. The isosolvation composition correlates well with the relative solvating abilities of the two solvents-as characterized by their donicities-provided that the cation-solvent interactions are of the hard-hard type and that they are not complicated by interionic interactions. The variation in the electric field gradient around the sodium nucleus, as the composition of the solvent changes, results in broadening of the resonance line. Maximum broadening occurs close to the solvent mole fraction corresponding to the isosolvation point.