ZHANG Hong-Yi1,2, HAN Li-Mei1, SHI Zhi-Hong1,2, DU Xue-Hong1
1. College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China;
2. Key Laboratory of Analytical Science and Technology of Hebei Province, Baoding 071002, China
Abstract In some current college books acetonitrile is thought to be miscible with water in any conditions. However, it is not always the case. With conducting critical learning in open teaching environments, the understanding of the solubility of acetonitrile in water was broadened. The homogeneous solution composed of acetonitrile and water can be caused phase separation by four specific experimental conditions, namely, sufficient amounts of salts added, sufficient amounts of monomeric carbohydrate or disaccharide added, hydrophobic solvent added, or being kept at sub-zero temperature. The upper layer formed in the phase separation is acetonitrile-rich phase, and the lower layer is water-rich phase. Four new liquid-liquid extraction methods based on the phase-separation phenomena mentioned above have been developed in recent years, namely salting-out acetonitrile-based extraction, sugaring-out acetonitrile-based extraction, subzero-temperature acetonitrile-based extraction, and solvent induced phase transition extraction. This teaching process not only introduced some new knowledges of acetonitrile properties, but also inspired the students to conduct critical learning.
ZHANG Hong-Yi, HAN Li-Mei, SHI Zhi-Hong, DU Xue-Hong. Is Acetonitrile Miscible with Water in Any Cases[J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Education, 2017, 38(20): 76-80.
