SOME PROPERTIES OF PURE POLYOXYETHYLENEGLYGOL ETHERS IN SOLUTION

Abstract

Solution properties of a series of hexaoxyethyleneglycol ethers having 8 to 16 carbon atoms in a paraffin chain along with a number of diethers were assessed in ethanol at 48 and 60 °C. The molecular weights at infinite dilution indicated that the compounds are unassociated. Solvation effects were observed for the monoethers having 14 or more carbon atoms in the hydrophobic portion of the molecule, but were absent for those molecules containing 12 carbon atoms or less. The apparent micellar weights suggested that association did not proceed beyond a dimer for most of the hexaoxyethyleneglycol compounds. The diethers obeyed Raoult's law up to the critical micelle concentration while different apparent association patterns were observed beyond this concentration.