Diffusion of Benzene and Alkylbenzenes in n-Alkanes

The translational diffusion constants, D, of benzene and a series of alkylbenzenes have been determined in four n-alkanes at room temperature using capillary flow techniques. The alkylbenzenes are toluene, ethylbenzene, 1-phenylpropane, 1-phenylpentane, 1-phenyloctane, 1-phenylundecane, 1-phenyltetradecane, and 1-phenylheptadecane. The n-alkanes are n-nonane, n-decane, n-dodecane, and n-pentadecane. Ratios of the solutes' D values are independent of solvent and in general agreement with the predictions of diffusion models for cylinders and lollipops. For the latter, an alkylbenzene's phenyl ring is the lollipop's candy; the alkyl chain is its handle. A model that considers the solutes to be spheres with volumes determined by the van der Waals increments of their constituent atoms is not in agreement with experiment. The diffusion constants of 1-alkene and n-alkane solutes in n-alkane solvents also are compared with the cylinder model; reasonably good agreement is found. The n-alkanes are relatively extended, and this appears to be the case for the alkyl chains of the 1-alkenes and alkylbenzenes as well.