Preferential solvation of p - nitrophenol in binary solvent mixtures

Abstract

The solvatochromism of p-nitrophenol (PNP) in different neat solvent and in binary mixtures of butanol and dioxane has been investigated from the spectroscopic transition energy (TE). The positive solvatochromism is explained using multiparametric regression equation, where the combination of p* and b explained the data appropriately. Though the coefficient of p* in the regression equation is higher compared to b, the hydrogen bond doting ability of the solvent has a significant contribution during the solvation. In alcohol-dioxane binary mixture, PNP is preferentially solvated by butanol because the b value is higher for butanol. Thus UV-VIS spectroscopic method is suitable way for investigating the preferential solvation, solute-solvent interaction and molecular recognition.