Solvents play a crucial role in non-aqueous titrations, as they can influence the solubility of the analyte and titrant, the reaction kinetics, and the acid-base properties of the substances involved.
The choice of solvent depends on the specific requirements of the titration and the nature of the analyte and titrant. Here are some common solvents used in non-aqueous titrations:
Types of Solvents used in non-aqueous titration
1) Protic solvents:
Protic solvents are capable of donating hydrogen ions (H+) in the form of protons, and they can form hydrogen bonds with other molecules.
Some common protic solvents used in non-aqueous titrations include:
Acetic acid
Methanol
Ethanol
Glycerol
2) Aprotic solvents:
Aprotic solvents do not have acidic hydrogen atoms and cannot donate protons.
They are unable to form hydrogen bonds with other molecules.
Some common aprotic solvents used in non-aqueous titrations include:
Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)
Acetonitrile
Dimethylformamide (DMF)
3) Polar solvents:
Polar solvents have a significant difference in electronegativity between their constituent atoms, resulting in a dipole moment.
Polar solvents can dissolve a wide range of polar and ionic compounds.
Examples of polar solvents used in non-aqueous titrations include:
Acetic acid
Methanol
Ethanol
Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)
Acetonitrile
4) Non-polar solvents:
Non-polar solvents have a low or no dipole moment due to the equal sharing of electrons between their constituent atoms.
These solvents are generally used in non-aqueous titrations for the analysis of non-polar compounds.
Examples of non-polar solvents used in non-aqueous titrations include:
Toluene
Carbon tetrachloride