Elucidating the Role of Hydrogen Bond Donor and Acceptor on Solvation in Deep Eutectic Solvents

Scientific Achievement

Deep eutectic solvents comprised of ammonium/phosphonium salts and carboxylic acids have been characterized by inverse gas chromatography to understand their solvation interactions. Solute-solvent interactions are beneficial in understanding the performance of DESs in various chemical separations and catalysis.

Significance and Impact

First study to chromatographically measure the solute-solvent interactions of deep eutectic solvents. This approach overcomes the limitations of solvatochromic probes such as reaction of acidic hydrogen bond donors with betaine dye 30.1.

Research Details
  • Solvation properties of 20 DESs have been characterized.
  • Effect of structural composition including molar ratio of HBA/HBD, length of HBA and HBD alkyl chain substituent, structure and combination of HBA cation and anion, and pKa of HBD on the solvation properties have been studied.
  • Solvation interactions have been used to interpret the performances of DESs in extraction of natural products and desulfurization of fuels.

Farooq, M. Q.; Odugbesi, G. A.; Abbasi, N. M.; Anderson, J. L. “Elucidating the Role of Hydrogen Bond Donor and Acceptor on Solvation in Deep Eutectic Solvents Formed by Ammonium/Phosphonium Salts and Carboxylic Acids.” ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 2020, 8, 18286–18296 

Deep eutectic solvent visual.
Deep eutectic solvents formed by ammonium/ phosphonium salts and carboxylic acids are characterized on the basis of their multiple solvation interactions. The magnitude of individual solvation interactions is dependent on the hydrogen bond donor and hydrogen bond acceptor.