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Related Concept Videos

Solvents01:12

Solvents

71.9K
A solvent is a substance, most often a liquid, that can dissolve other substances. Here, the substance being dissolved is called a solute. When a solvent and a solute combine, they form a solution - a homogenous mixture of both the solvent and the solute. Water is a universal biological solvent. Its polar structure allows it to dissolve many other polar compounds. The ability of water to dissolve is governed by a balance between water molecules binding to each other and binding to the solute.
A...
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Organic Compounds03:02

Organic Compounds

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All living things are formed mostly of carbon compounds called organic compounds. The category of organic compounds includes both natural and synthetic compounds that contain carbon. Although a single, precise definition has yet to be identified by the chemistry community, most agree that a defining trait of organic molecules is the presence of carbon as the principal element, bonded to hydrogen and other carbon atoms. However, some carbon-containing compounds such as carbonates, cyanides, and...
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Entropy and Solvation02:05

Entropy and Solvation

8.7K
The process of surrounding a solute with solvent is called solvation. It involves evenly distributing the solute within the solvent. The rule of thumb for determining a solvent for a given compound is that like dissolves like. A good solvent has molecular characteristics similar to those of the compound to be dissolved. For example, polar solutions dissolve polar solutes, and apolar solvents dissolve apolar solutes. A polar solvent is a solvent that has a high dielectric constant (ϵ...
8.7K
Radical Substitution: Halogenation of Alkanes and Alkyl Substituents01:27

Radical Substitution: Halogenation of Alkanes and Alkyl Substituents

10.4K
In the presence of heat or light, alkanes react with molecular halogens to form alkyl halides by a substitution reaction called radical halogenation. This reaction has three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination, as seen in the radical chlorination of methane to produce methyl chloride.
In the initiation step of the reaction, the chlorine molecule undergoes homolytic cleavage in the presence of light or heat, forming two highly reactive chlorine radicals. Propagation occurs in two...
10.4K
Preparation of Alcohols via Substitution Reactions01:38

Preparation of Alcohols via Substitution Reactions

7.6K
Overview
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...
7.6K
Titration in Nonaqueous Solvents01:16

Titration in Nonaqueous Solvents

1.5K
Most acid-base titrations are performed in an aqueous medium. In aqueous titrations, water competes with weaker acids or bases for proton donation or acceptance, leading to ambiguous endpoints in the titration curve. Water also affects the partial ionization of weak acids or bases. For example, water accepts a proton from acetic acid to form hydronium and acetate ions. The hydronium ion formed is a stronger acid than acetic acid, and the acetate ion is a stronger base than water. As a result,...
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Separation of Aldehydes and Reactive Ketones from Mixtures Using a Bisulfite Extraction Protocol
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Alternatives for Conventional Alkane Solvents.

Mary L Harrell1, Thomas Malinski1, Coralys Torres-López1

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University , College Station, Texas 77842-3012, United States.

Journal of the American Chemical Society
|October 19, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Hydrocarbon oligomers, like poly(α-olefin)s, offer safe, non-volatile alternatives to heptane in solvent mixtures. These oligomeric solvents demonstrate excellent performance, matching heptane

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Area of Science:

  • Green Chemistry
  • Solvent Science
  • Polymer Chemistry

Background:

  • Traditional low molecular weight alkane solvents like heptane pose environmental and safety concerns.
  • There is a need for sustainable, non-toxic, and recyclable solvent alternatives in chemical processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate hydrocarbon oligomers, specifically poly(α-olefin)s (PAOs), as viable alternatives to heptane.
  • To assess the performance of PAOs in thermomorphic and biphasic solvent systems.
  • To investigate the leaching, solubility, and catalytic properties of PAOs compared to heptane.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized UV-visible spectroscopy to compare solubility properties of PAOs and heptane.
  • Investigated PAOs in thermomorphic mixtures with polar solvents (methanol, aqueous ethanol, DMF) and biphasic mixtures with acetonitrile.
  • Studied azo dye isomerization kinetics in PAO and heptane solvents, with and without carboxylic acid catalysts.

Main Results:

  • PAOs exhibit low leaching into polar phases, similar to heptane.
  • PAOs demonstrate comparable solubility to heptane for specific dyes.
  • PAOs function as effective anti-leaching agents in solvent mixtures.
  • Azo dye isomerization rates are equivalent in PAO and heptane, both thermally and when catalyzed by carboxylic acids.

Conclusions:

  • Hydrocarbon oligomers like PAOs are effective, non-toxic, non-volatile, and recyclable substitutes for heptane.
  • PAOs maintain the desirable solvent properties of low molecular weight alkanes.
  • These oligomeric solvents offer a sustainable alternative for various chemical applications, reducing reliance on conventional solvents.