Correlation of distribution of organic solutes in organic solvent - water systems with molecular properties and solution structure parameters

A systematic analysis of experimental data on extraction of organic solutes with organic solvents indicates that non-specific intermolecular interacti ons are better described by pairwise interaction potentials of London-Debye -Keesom than by the Hilderbrand solubility parameter. The results point to significant and universal importance of dispersive, inductive and dipole-di pole interactions between solute and solvent molecules. Deviations in the e xperimental values for the distribution constants from the corresponding th eoretical values, calculated under the assumption that the extracted substa nce and the extractant form no complexes, allow for estimation of the energ y of specific intermolecular interactions. A method, which permits identifi cation of the contributions of non-specific and specific intermolecular int eractions between extractant and extracted molecules to the distribution co nstant, is suggested.