Solubility profiles and thermodynamics of parabens in aliphatic alcohols

The solubility of a series of compounds was determined in a wide polarity spectrum of normal aliphatic alcohols over a limited temperature range. The solutes chosen were the methyl through n-butyl p-hydroxybenzoates, several of these being useful preservatives. Solubility profiles were determined for these compounds, and the effect of temperature upon their solubility behavior was investigated. The solubility of the solutes is expressed in several concentration notations; mole fraction plots showed a variable twin peak array as a function of the dielectric constant for the solutes studied. Since heats of fusion were available and data were generated as a function of temperature, thermodynamic parameters for these systems could be calculated. The relationship of these parameters to multiple solubility peak array is discussed.