Liquid water at elevated temperatures and pressures, but still in the subcritical region, is of interest as a solvent in various laboratory and industrial processes. Elevated temperature means water at a temperature between about 100 °C and 373 °C, the critical temperature, and at pressures up to 400 bar or greater. Because the dielectric constant of water decreases with increasing temperature, the solubility of many compounds, especially nonpolar compounds, increases dramatically at higher temperature. The fact that solubility can be fine-tuned by controlling temperature and pressure makes pressurized hot water a useful tool in various extraction and reaction processes.
This table gives a sample of the variations of solubility with temperature and pressure for several compounds, mostly hydrocarbons. More information is available in the references. Column definitions are as follows.
Column heading | Definition |
Name | Name of compound; compounds are listed alphabetically by name |
Mol. form. | Molecular formula of compound |
t | Temperature, in °C |
p | Pressure, in bar |
smf | Solute solubility as mole fraction x2 in units 104 × x2 |
sm% | Solute solubility as mass percent = 100 w2 where w2 is mass fraction |
Ref. | Reference from which data were taken |
Name | Synonym | Mol. form. | CAS Reg. No. | Mol. Wt. | t/ºC | p/bar | smf/103 x2 | sm%/% | Ref. |
Continued on next page... | |||||||||
Acenaphthene | |||||||||
Acenaphthene | 1,2-Dihydroacenaphthylene | C12H10 | 83-32-9 | 154.207 | 25 | 1 | 0.000444 | 0.000380 | 13 |
Acenaphthene | 1,2-Dihydroacenaphthylene | C12H10 | 83-32-9 | 154.207 | 250 | 50 | 1.25 | 1.06 | 11 |
Anthracene | |||||||||
Anthracene | C14H10 | 120-12-7 | 178.229 | 25 | 1 | 0.0000074 | 0.0000044 | 2 | |
Anthracene | C14H10 | 120-12-7 | 178.229 | 50 | 50 | 0.000017 | 0.000017 | 5 | |
Anthracene | C14H10 | 120-12-7 | 178.229 | 100 | 45 | 0.00032 | 0.00032 | 5 | |
Anthracene | C14H10 | 120-12-7 | 178.229 | 100 | 39 | 0.000457 | 0.00045 | 12 | |
Anthracene | C14H10 | 120-12-7 | 178.229 | 150 | 50 | 0.0102 | 0.0101 | 11 | |
Anthracene | C14H10 | 120-12-7 | 178.229 | 200 | 77 | 0.13 | 0.13 | 12 | |
Anthracene | C14H10 | 120-12-7 | 178.229 | 250 | 50 | 0.497 | 0.49 | 11 | |
Anthracene | C14H10 | 120-12-7 | 178.229 | 300 | 100 | 3.78 | 3.62 | 11 | |
Benz[a]anthracene | |||||||||
Benz[a]anthracene | 1,2-Benzanthracene | C18H12 | 56-55-3 | 228.288 | 25 | 1 | 0.00000073 | 0.00000093 | 2 |
Benz[a]anthracene | 1,2-Benzanthracene | C18H12 | 56-55-3 | 228.288 | 60 | 50 | 0.00000846 | 0.0000107 | 12 |
Benz[a]anthracene | 1,2-Benzanthracene | C18H12 | 56-55-3 | 228.288 | 100 | 50 | 0.000113 | 0.000143 | 12 |
Benz[a]anthracene | 1,2-Benzanthracene | C18H12 | 56-55-3 | 228.288 | 120 | 52 | 0.000418 | 0.00053 | 12 |
Benz[a]anthracene | 1,2-Benzanthracene | C18H12 | 56-55-3 | 228.288 | 150 | 49 | 0.00296 | 0.00375 | 12 |
Benzene | |||||||||
Benzene | [6]Annulene | C6H6 | 71-43-2 | 78.112 | 25 | 1 | 0.40 | 0.178 | 13 |
Benzene | [6]Annulene | C6H6 | 71-43-2 | 78.112 | 25 | 65 | 0.40 | 0.173 | 6 |
Benzene | [6]Annulene | C6H6 | 71-43-2 | 78.112 | 25 | 400 | 0.33 | 0.143 | 6 |
Benzene | [6]Annulene | C6H6 | 71-43-2 | 78.112 | 50 | 65 | 0.47 | 0.203 | 6 |