Development of a correlation between the non-polar solubility parameter,refractive index and molecular structure. I. Aliphatic hydrocarbons

For non-polar liquids (e.g. the alkanes) the cohesion energy density (λ²) can be shown to be a function of the refractive index (nD ), molal volume (V) and molecular structure according to: where Δ is the non-polar solubility parameter and the increments g_ij are determined from molecular structure. The difference between values of Δ calculated by this formula and experimental data is <0.1% for the C₅–C₁₆ n-alkanes and <0.8% for the C₅–C₈ branched isomers. The main object of this correlation was to provide a method for estimating the London dispersion force contribution to the cohesive energy of branched polar liquids.