Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Phase Diagram Characterization Using Magnetic Beads as Liquid Carriers
Published on: September 4, 2015
Phase behavior studies of quaternary systems containing N-lauroyl-N-methylglucamide/alcohol/alkane/water
Xiaodeng Yang1, Hongliang Li, Jinling Chai
1Department of Chemistry, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
The three-phase behavior of quaternary systems comprising N-lauroyl-N-methylglucamide (MEGA-12)/alcohol/alkane/water has been studied using epsilon-beta fishlike phase diagrams. From the epsilon-beta fishlike phase diagrams a series of phase inversions Winsor I (2) --> III (3) --> II (2) were observed, and the hydrophilic-lipophilic balanced (HLB) plane equation for the quaternary system was deduced. Some physicochemical parameters, such as the mass fraction of alcohol in the HLB interfacial layer, A S, the coordinates of the start (beta B, epsilon B) and end points (beta E, epsilon E) of the middle-phase microemulsion, the mass fractions of MEGA-12 and alcohol in the total system (C S and C A), and the solubilities of MEGA-12 and alcohol in oil phase (S O and A O), were calculated. The effects of different alcohols, alkanes, and NaCl concentrations in the aqueous phase on the phase behavior and solubilization capacity were investigated, which indicates that alcohol with longer and alkane with shorter hydrocarbon chains have a larger solubilization capacity. NaCl concentration has little influence on the phase behavior.
Related Concept Videos
Phase Diagrams of Ternary Systems
Regioselectivity and Stereochemistry of Acid-Catalyzed Hydration
Conversion of Alcohols to Alkyl Halides
Surface Active Agents
The Colloidal State
Preparation of Alcohols via Substitution Reactions
Alcohols can be synthesized from alkyl halides via nucleophilic substitution reactions. The highly polar carbon-halogen bond in the substrate makes halide a good leaving group. The hydroxide ion or water can act as a nucleophile to take the place of halide and form an alcohol. The substitution reactions occur via two different reaction pathways, SN1 or SN2, depending on the nature of carbon attached to the halide.
Primary alcohols are synthesized from primary alkyl halides, and the...

