MECHANISM OF ACETIC-ACID TRANSFER FROM AQUEOUS SODIUM-CHLORIDE SOLUTIONS TO SOME ORGANIC-SOLVENTS

Salting out of acetic acid from aqueous solutions containing various concentrations of sodium chloride into some organic solvents has been studied at various temperatures. The solvents include cyclohexane, carbon tetrachloride, 1,2-dichloroethane, isopropyl ether, 2-pentanone and 1-heptanol. The results are consistent with a transfer mechanism involving monomer partitioning, dimerization and dimer return to the aqueous phase. Factors favoring monomer partitioning such as rise in both temperature and salt level retard dimer return, a process which is found to be significant in dimerization-enhancing solvents. The sensitivity of various solvents towards salt effect increases in the order 1-heptanol < isopropylether < 1,2-dichloroethane < 2-pentanone < cyclohexane < carbon tetrachloride which generally parallels in the reverse order the extent of stabilization of the acid by various solvent interactions.