Computational Prediction of Adsorption Equilibrium for Nonionic Surfactants at the Oil/Water Interface

The non-Bornian solvation model has been applied for predicting the adsorption equilibrium for nonionic surfactants at the oil (O)/water (W) interface. In the non-Bornian model, the small contribution from the long-range electrostatic interaction is ignored, and the solvation or resolvation energy is formulated based on the short-range solute molecule (or ion)-solvent interactions-cavity formation, Coulomb, polarization, charge transfer, etc. These interaction energies are given by zero, first, and second-order functions of the local electric field (E_i) on the molecular surface, which can be estimated by density functional theory calculation. In the present study, we considered an adsorption process as "partial" transfer of a molecule across the O/W interface. Using a non-Bornian, semi-empirical equation for the Gibbs energy of transfer of nonionic molecules, the adsorption states of alkyl alcohols (1-dodecanol, 1-octanol, and 1-hexanol) at the 1,2-dichloroethane/W interface were successfully predicted. The orientation angle (θ), the rotation angle (ω), and the penetration depth into the O phase (d) of the alcohols in the adsorption state could be estimated. Furthermore, the energies for the adsorption from O and W (ΔG_ad^°,O→I and ΔG_ad^°,W→I) could be estimated theoretically. The values of ΔG_ad^°,O→I for the alcohols studied were in good agreement with those determined experimentally by the drop-weight method.

Prediction of the Standard Gibbs Energy of Transfer of Organic Ions Across the Interface between Two Immiscible Liquids

The non-Bornian solvation model was applied for evaluation of the standard Gibbs energy (ΔGtr°,W→O) of transfer of organic ions from water (W) to organic solvent (O = nitrobenzene). The solvation energy of an ion in either W or O is basically formulated as the energy required for the formation of a nanosized ion–solvent interface around the ion; however, many organic ions with strongly charged groups (e.g., -SO3-, -CO2-, -NH3+) are preferentially hydrated in O. Here we divided the surface of an ion into “hydrated” and “non-hydrated” surfaces and then carried out regression analyses with experimental values of ΔGtr°,W→O. In the analyses, the local electric field on the surface of an organic ion was evaluated through density functional theory calculation. Good regression results were then obtained with the mean absolute error of 1.9 and 2.4 kJ mol-1 for 34 anions and 63 cations, respectively. These errors correspond to the error of ∼20 mV in the standard ion-transfer potential (ΔOWϕ°), being only two times larger than the typical experimental error (∼10 mV) in the voltammetric measurement. This non-Bornian model is promising for theoretical prediction of ΔGtr°,W→O (or ΔOWϕ°) for organic ions and possibly of the biomembrane permeability for ionic drugs.

How can multielectron transfer be realized? A case study with keggin-type polyoxometalates in acetonitrile

Theoretical consideration and computational simulation have been performed on the voltammetric properties of Keggin polyoxometalates (POMs), and the conversion from successive one-electron transfer in unacidified media to four-electron transfer (through two-electron transfer) in acidified media has been discussed. Perfect simulation of the cyclic voltammograms of POMs could be achieved using the standard formal potentials and the protonation constants, systematically evaluated by the equations, in which “simple (intrinsic)” and “synergistic (extrinsic)” electron-withdrawing effects of the μ4-oxygen were taken into consideration. In the proposed model, the formal potential of the one-electron redox waves for the ith reduction step is presented by Ei°(z0, s) = Ei** + 0.51(z0 – i + 1) + 1.067s (i = 1, 2, 3, 4; E1** = E2** = 0.577 V; E3** = E4** = 0.377 V), where z0 is the initial ionic charge of a Keggin POM and s is the mean bond valence of the μ4-O–W bonds in the POM. The values of Ei**s are related to the energy levels of the two lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMOs) of a hypothetical Keggin POM with null charge and null bond valence. Then it was revealed that the LUMOs have small on-site repulsion, which may be an important factor that makes multielectron transfer feasible. These findings would give a big clue in developing novel redox materials exhibiting multielectron transfers.

A non-Bornian analysis of the Gibbs energy of hydration for organic ions

The hydration energy of organic ions can be well evaluated from the distribution of surface field strength, by using a simple semi-empirical equation.