Physical solvent effect

Claverie P, J P Daudey, J Lmglet, B Pullman, D Piazzola and M J Huron 1978. Studies of Solvent Effects. I. Discrete, Continuum and Discrete-Continuum Models and Their Comparison for Some Simple Cases NH, CH3OH and substituted NH4. Journal of Physical Chemistry 82 405-418. 

Solvents exert their influence on organic reactions through a complicated mixture of all possible types of noncovalent interactions. Chemists have tried to unravel this entanglement and, ideally, want to assess the relative importance of all interactions separately. In a typical approach, a property of a reaction (e.g. its rate or selectivity) is measured in a laige number of different solvents. All these solvents have unique characteristics, quantified by their physical properties (i.e. refractive index, dielectric constant) or empirical parameters (e.g. ET(30)-value, AN). Linear correlations between a reaction property and one or more of these solvent properties (Linear Free Energy Relationships - LFER) reveal which noncovalent interactions are of major importance. The major drawback of this approach lies in the fact that the solvent parameters are often not independent. Alternatively, theoretical models and computer simulations can provide valuable information. Both methods have been applied successfully in studies of the solvent effects on Diels-Alder reactions. 

Solvent effects on chemical equilibria and reactions have been an important issue in physical organic chemistry. Several empirical relationships have been proposed to characterize systematically the various types of properties in protic and aprotic solvents. One of the simplest models is the continuum reaction field characterized by the dielectric constant, e, of the solvent, which is still widely used. Taft and coworkers [30] presented more sophisticated solvent parameters that can take solute-solvent hydrogen bonding and polarity into account. Although this parameter has been successfully applied to rationalize experimentally observed solvent effects, it seems still far from satisfactory to interpret solvent effects on the basis of microscopic infomation of the solute-solvent interaction and solvation free energy. 

To go from experimental observations of solvent effects to an understanding of them requires a conceptual basis that, in one approach, is provided by physical models such as theories of molecular structure or of the liquid state. As a very simple example consider the electrostatic potential energy of a system consisting of two ions of charges Za and Zb in a medium of dielectric constant e. 

Ultimately physical theories should be expressed in quantitative terms for testing and use, but because of the eomplexity of liquid systems this can only be accomplished by making severe approximations. For example, it is often neeessary to treat the solvent as a continuous homogeneous medium eharaeterized by bulk properties such as dielectric constant and density, whereas we know that the solvent is a molecular assemblage with short-range structure. This is the basis of the current inability of physical theories to account satisfactorily for the full scope of solvent effects on rates, although they certainly can provide valuable insights and they undoubtedly capture some of the essential features and even cause-effect relationships in solution kinetics. Section 8.3 discusses physical theories in more detail. 

Because the key operation in studying solvent effects on rates is to vary the solvent, evidently the nature of the solvation shell will vary as the solvent is changed. A distinction is often made between general and specific solvent effects, general effects being associated (by hypothesis) with some appropriate physical property such as dielectric constant, and specific effects with particular solute-solvent interactions in the solvation shell. In this context the idea of preferential solvation (or selective solvation) is often invoked. If a reaction is studied in a mixed solvent. 

Once such effects had been noted, it became necessary to interpret the observed results and to classify the solvents. The earliest attempts at this were by Stobbe, who reviewed the effects of solvents on keto-enol tautomers [4]. Since then many attempts have been used to explain solvent effects, some based on observations of chemical reactions, others on physical properties of the solvents, and yet others on spectroscopic probes. All of these have their advantages and disadvantages and no one approach can be thought of as exclusively right . This review is organized by type of measurement, and the available information is then summarized at the end. 

Studies of polymorphs in recent years have pointed out the effects of polymorphism on solubility and, more specifically, on dissolution rates. The aspect of polymorphism that is of particular concern to the parenteral formulator is physical stability of the product [8]. Substances that form polymorphs must be evaluated so that the form used is stable in a particular solvent system. Physical stresses that occur during suspension manufacture may also give rise to changes in crystal form [9]. 

Kitchens, C.L., McLeod, M.C. and Roberts, C.B. (2003) Solvent effects on the growth and steric stabilization of copper metallic nanoparticles in AOT reverse micelle systems. Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 107 (41), 11331-11338. 

As has been suggested in the previous section, explanations of solvent effects on the basis of the macroscopic physical properties of the solvent are not very successful. The alternative approach is to make use of the microscopic or chemical properties of the solvent and to consider the detailed interaction of solvent molecules with their own kind and with solute molecules. If a configuration in which one or more solvent molecules interacts with a solute molecule has a particularly low free energy, it is feasible to describe at least that part of the solute-solvent interaction as the formation of a molecular complex and to speak of an equilibrium between solvated and non-solvated molecules. Such a stabilization of a particular solute by solvation will shift any equilibrium involving that solute. For example, in the case of formation of carbonium ions from triphenylcarbinol, the equilibrium is shifted in favor of the carbonium ion by an acidic solvent that reacts with hydroxide ion and with water. The carbonium ion concentration in sulfuric acid is greater than it is in methanol-... 

The scope of this book goes beyond the proper field of solvent effects on chemical reactions. It actually goes deeper in the analysis of solvent effects as such and of chemical reactions. It also addresses the problem of mimicking chemical reactions in condensed phases and bioenvironments. The authors have gone through the problems raised by the limitations found in the theoretical representations. In order to understand, it is not sufficient to have agreement with experiments, the schemes should meet the requirements put forward by well founded physical theories. 

Therefore, one must accept that the description of the solvent effect is rather complex and cannot be simplistically made on the basis of single physical parameters. A large number of parameters (including empirical parameters) must be considered which derive from thermodynamic calculations (equilibrium constant) and kinetic calculations (rate constants) performed on a large number of chemical reactions. 

Contemporary computer-assisted molecular simulation methods and modern computer technology has contributed to the actual numerical calculation of solvent effects on chemical reactions and molecular equilibria. Classical statistical mechanics and quantum mechanics are basic pillars on which practical approaches are based. On top of these, numerical methods borrowed from different fields of physics and engineering and computer graphics techniques have been integrated into computer programs running in graphics workstations and modem supercomputers (Zhao et al., 2000). 

TABLE 1. Effects of Reaction Solvent on Physical Properties of Poly(l,3-dioxolane-2,4-dione) Derivatives Using 4-Dimethylaminopyridine as Catalyst... 

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