Extraction of phenols and phenyl acetates with diethyl carbonate

Extraction of 11 selected phenols and their acetyl derivatives by diethyl carbonate was studied and compared with extraction into hexane and toluene. Diethyl carbonate is the most effective solvent and enables high recoveries of both phenols and their acetyl derivatives. The high recovery of phenols can be explained by the formation of a hydrogen bond between the hydroxyl group of phenols and the oxygen atom of the carbonate group. The extraction of phenols can be further increased in the presence of an electrolyte. The efficiency of extraction depends mainly upon phenol hydrophobicity and significantly increases with an increase in the solute molar volume and octanol-water partition coefficient.