answersLogoWhite

0

Isobutanol only partly dissolves in water. Lower carbon chain alcohols like methyl, ethyl, and isopropyl alcohols are 100% miscible in water, but isobutanol, also known as isobutyl alcohol or 2-Methyl-1-Propanol, is only partly soluble in water. Solubility data is usually given at a specified temperature, as temperature can affect the solubility. According to the "SIDS Initial Assessment Report For SIAM 19" (Berlin, Germany, 19-22 October 2004), isobutanol dissolves in water at the rates shown below. Note that temperature data are not provided for ALL examples/sources. Also, note that this kind of data can be found on Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), chemical encyclopedias, chemical dictionaries, and other technical references (again see examples below).

MSDSs are furnished by manufacturers to provide warnings and specify what they believe to be generally accurate physical characteristics of the material they are specifying. Sometimes this MSDA data varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, depending on the compound and where/how they derived their information. While an MSDS usually specifies the water solubility, only sometimes does it specify the reverse, how much isobutanol will dissolve in water; these two characteristics do not have the same numbers.

When isobutanol has dissolved the maximum amount of water at a certain temperature, we say that the isobutanol is "saturated." At that point, adding more water will not result in a higher concentration of water in isobutanol, but results instead in the formation of two separate phases (liquids), one heavier than the other, with an isobutanol layer that is saturated with water floating on top, and the alcohol mixed with water phase sinking to the bottom. Shaking the two liquids will cause them to mix, but the two liquids will separate on standing. Also, remember that like many alcohols, isobutanol forms an azeotrope, that is, a mixture that can not be 100% separated by simple distillation.

User Avatar

Wiki User

10y ago

What else can I help you with?