Examination of hydrogen-bonding interactions between dissolved solutes and alkylbenzene solvents based on Abraham model correlations derived from measured enthalpies of solvation

•Enthalpies of solution measured for 48 solutes dissolved in mesitylene.•Enthalpies of solution measured for 81 solutes dissolved in p-xylene.•Abraham model correlations derived for enthalpies of solvation of solutes in mesitylene.•Abraham model correlations derived for enthalpies of solvation of solutes in p-xylene.•Hydrogen-bonding enthalpies reported for interactions of aromatic hydrocarbons with hydrogen-bond acidic solutes.

Enthalpies of solution at infinite dilution of 48 organic solutes in mesitylene and 81 organic solutes in p-xylene were measured using isothermal solution calorimeter. Enthalpies of solvation for 92 organic vapors and gaseous solutes in mesitylene and for 130 gaseous compounds in p-xylene were determined from the experimental and literature data. Abraham model correlations are determined from the experimental enthalpy of solvation data. The derived correlations describe the experimental gas-to-mesitylene and gas-to-p-xylene solvation enthalpies to within average standard deviations of 1.87 kJ mol−1 and 2.08 kJ mol−1, respectively. Enthalpies of XH⋯π (XO, N, and C) hydrogen bond formation of proton donor solutes (alcohols, amines, chlorinated hydrocarbons etc.) with mesitylene and p-xylene were calculated based on the Abraham solvation equation. Obtained values are in good agreement with the results determined using conventional methods.