Control of Chemical Equilibrium by Solvent: A Basis for Teaching Physical Chemistry of Solutions

• Published in: Journal of chemical education Vol. 84; no. 8; pp. 1348 - 1354
• Main Authors: Prezhdo, Oleg V, Craig, Colleen F, Fialkov, Yuriy, Prezhdo, Victor V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Easton Division of Chemical Education 01-08-2007; Division of Chemical Education of the American Chemical Society; American Chemical Society
• Subjects: Chemical reactions; Chemistry; Chemists; Curricula; Equilibrium; Inhalants; Molecular Structure; Organic chemistry; Physical chemistry; Physics; Science education; Science Experiments; Science Instruction; Solutions; Solvents; Teaching methods; Textbooks; Writing instruction; Second-Year Undergraduate; Textbooks / Reference Books; Physical Chemistry; Equilibrium
• ISSN: 0021-9584; 1938-1328
• DOI: 10.1021/ed084p1348

The mechanisms by which solvent can be used to control chemical equilibria are analyzed from a thermodynamic perspective and illustrated with several examples. The solvent effect is described in terms of universal- and specific-solvation components, and the practical and pedagogical means of separating these components are discussed. The exceptional ability to influence reaction yields simply by choice of solvent or composition of a solvent mixture is demonstrated with homo- and hetero-molecular association and conformational equilibrium. The material presented here provides an important addition to the physical chemistry curriculum that has been largely overlooked in traditional textbooks.