Determination and correlation of liquid–liquid equilibria for the (water + carboxylic acid + dimethyl maleate) ternary systems at T = 298.2 K

(Liquid–liquid) equilibrium (LLE) data for the ternary systems of {water + carboxylic acid (formic, acetic, propionic or butyric acid) + dimethyl maleate} were measured at T = 298.2 K and atmospheric pressure. Selectivity values for solvent separation efficiency were derived from the tie-line data. A comparison of the extracting capabilities of the solvent was made with respect to distribution coefficients, separation factors, and solvent-free selectivity bases. The reliability of the data was ascertained from Othmer–Tobias plots. The experimental data were correlated using the UNIQUAC and NRTL (α = 0.2) equations, and the binary interaction parameters were reported. The phase diagrams for the ternary mixtures including both the experimental and calculated tie-lines were presented.