Ion transfer across the water|trifluorotoluene interface

This work introduces trifluorotoluene as an alternative organic solvent for studying charge transfer across liquid|liquid interfaces. In comparison with the most popular organic solvents in this field, 1,2-dichloroethane and nitrobenzene, trifluorotoluene is less toxic since it is not considered a carcinogen agent, and offers a larger potential window. When comparing the standard Gibbs energies of ion partition from water to trifluorotoluene with those reported at the water|1,2-dichloroethane and water|nitrobenzene interfaces, linear relationships were found, making easy to extrapolate the Gibbs energy of other ions from these empiric correlations. 1,2-dichloroethane and nitrobenzene can be efficiently replaced by trifluorotoluene for studying charge transfer at liquid|liquid interfaces.

► We introduce TFT as an alternative solvent for studies at liquid|liquid interfaces.
► TFT has lower toxicity and offers a larger potential window than DCE and NB.
► ΔGtr0′,w → o at the water|TFT interface can be estimated using empirical relationships.
► DCE and NB can be replaced by TFT for studies at liquid|liquid interfaces.