Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 30, 2026

Achieving Moderate Pressures in Sealed Vessels Using Dry Ice As a Solid CO2 Source
Published on: August 17, 2018
Carbon dioxide as a solubility "switch" for the reversible dissolution of highly fluorinated complexes and reagents
Philip G Jessop1, Marilyn M Olmstead, Christopher D Ablan
1Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, California 95616-5295, USA. jessop@chem.ucdavis.edu
Abstract:
Highly fluorinated organic or organometallic solid compounds can be made to dissolve in liquid hydrocarbons by the application of 20-70 bar of CO(2) gas. Subsequently releasing the gas causes the compounds to precipitate or crystallize, giving quantitative recovery of the solid. The resulting crystals can be of sufficient quality for single-crystal X-ray crystallography; the structures of Rh(2)(O(2)CCF(2)CF(2)CF(3))(4)(DMF)(2), Rh(2)(O(2)C(CF(2))(9)F)(4)(MeOH)(2), Cr(hfacac)(3), and P[C(6)H(3)(3,5-CF(3))(2)](3) have been determined from crystals grown in this manner.
Related Concept Videos
Solubility
A solution is a homogeneous mixture composed of a solvent, the major component, and a solute, the minor component. The physical state of a solution—solid, liquid, or gas—is typically the same as that of the solvent. Solute concentrations are often described with qualitative terms such as dilute (of relatively low concentration) and concentrated (of relatively high concentration).
In a solution, the solute particles (molecules, atoms, and/or ions)...
Entropy and Solvation
Physical Properties Affecting Solubility
As for any solution, the solubility of a gas in a liquid is affected by the attractive intermolecular forces between solute and solvent species. Unlike solid and liquid solutes, however, there is no solute-solute intermolecular attraction to overcome when a gaseous solute dissolves in a liquid solvent since the atoms or molecules comprising a gas are far separated and experience negligible interactions. Consequently, solute-solvent interactions are the sole...
Solubility Equilibria: Overview
Solubility is important in biological and environmental processes. A notable...
Sample Preparation for Analysis: Advanced Techniques
Acid digestion with strong acids is commonly used to dissolve inorganic materials that are insoluble (do not dissolve) in water. This method can be useful for...
Recrystallization: Solid–Solution Equilibria

