Thermodynamic models for determination of the solubility of (-)-shikimic acid in different pure solvents and in (H2O + ethanol) binary solvent mixtures

• Solubility of (-)-shikimic acid in different pure solvents was studied.
• Solubility of (-)-shikimic acid in (H2O + ethanol) binary solvent mixtures was studied.
• The solubility data were fitted using three semiempirical models.
• The Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, entropy were calculated by the van’t Hoff analysis.

In this paper, we focused on solubility and solution thermodynamics of (-)-shikimic acid. The solubility of (-)-shikimic acid ((3R,4S,5R)-(E)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-1-cyclohexenecarboxylic acid, CASRN 138-59-0) in H2O, ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol, n-pentanol, n-heptane and in (H2O + ethanol) binary solvent mixtures was measured at temperatures from (303.45 to 362.15) K using the synthetic method under atmospheric pressure. Its corresponding (solid + liquid) equilibrium results will provide essential support for industrial design and further theoretical studies. The solubility of (-)-shikimic acid in H2O, ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol, n-pentanol, n-heptane and in (H2O + ethanol) binary solvent mixtures were correlated with the Apelblat equation, the λh equation and the ideal equation. In addition, the thermodynamic properties of the solution process, including the Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, and entropy, were calculated by the van’t Hoff analysis. The experimental results showed that ethanol could be used as effective antisolvents in the crystallization process.