We have determined the solubility, s, of indium oxide in the liquid mixture isobutyric acid + water along the critical isopleth at temperatures above the upper critical solution temperature near 299 K. When plotted in van’t Hoff form with ln s vs 1/T, the measurements of solubility lie on a straight line for values of the absolute temperature, T, which are sufficiently in excess of the critical solution temperature, T c. The sign of the slope, (∂ ln s/∂(1/T)), indicates that the enthalpy of dissolution is endothermic. When the temperature is within 1 K of T c, however, the slope departs from its constant value and appears to diverge toward negative infinity. The principle of critical point universality predicts that a divergence in (∂ ln s/∂(1/T)) is to be expected for T near T c in those cases where the stoichiometry of the dissolution reaction involves both components of the solvent; moreover, the Gibbs−Helmholtz equation predicts that if the enthalpy of solution is endothermic, the sign of the divergence should be negative. Both of these predictions are confirmed by the experimental data.

Binary liquid mixtures having a consolute point can be used as solvents for chemical reactions. When excess cerium(IV) oxide is brought into equilibrium with a mixture of isobutyric acid + water, and the concentration of cerium in the liquid phase is plotted in van't Hoff form, a straight line results for temperatures sufficiently in excess of the critical solution temperature. Within 1 K of the critical temperature, however, the concentration becomes substantially suppressed, and the van't Hoff slope diverges toward negative infinity. According to the phase rule, one mole fraction can be fixed. Given this restriction, the temperature behavior of the data is in exact agreement with the predictions of both the principle of critical point isomorphism and the Gibbs-Helmholtz equation. In addition, we have determined the concentration of lead in the liquid phase when crystalline lead(II) sulfate reacts with potassium iodide in isobutyric acid + water. When plotted in van't Hoff form, the data lie on a straight line for all temperatures including the critical region. The phase rule indicates that two mole fractions can be fixed. With this restriction, the data are in exact agreement with the principle of critical point isomorphism.

The solubilities of iron(III) oxide, formula Fe 2 O 3 , and cobalt(II,III) oxide, formula Co 3 O 4 , have been determined in the liquid mixture, isobutyric acid + water, along the critical isopleth at temperatures above the upper critical solution temperature near 299 K. When plotted in van't Hoff form with ln s versus 1/T , the measurements of solubility, s, lie on a straight line for values of the temperature, T , in kelvin, which are sufficiently in excess of the critical solution temperature, T c . The sign of the slope, (∂ ln s/∂(1/T )), indicates that in the case of both oxides, the dissolution reaction is endothermic. When the temperature is within 1 K of T c , however, the slope departs from its constant value and appears to diverge toward negative infinity. The principle of critical-point universality predicts that a divergence in (∂ ln s/∂(1/T )) is to be expected for T near T c in those cases where the stoichiometry of the dissolution reaction involves both components of the solvent; moreover, the Gibbs-Helmholtz equation predicts that, if the heat of solution is endothermic, the sign of the divergence should be negative. Both of these predictions are confirmed by the solubilities of Fe 2 O 3 and Co 3 O 4 measured as a function of temperature along the critical isopleth of isobutyric acid + water.

A mixture of isobutyric acid + water has an upper consolute point at 38.8 mass % isobutyric acid and temperature near 26 °C. Nickel (II) oxide dissolves in this mixture by reacting with the acid to produce water and nickel isobutyrate. The solubility of nickel (II) oxide in isobutyric acid + water has been measured as a function of temperature at compositions, 25, 38.8, and 60 mass % isobutyric acid. For values of the temperature, T, which were at least 2 K in excess of the liquid-liquid phase transition temperature, the measured values of the solubility, s, lie on a straight line when plotted in van't Hoff form with ln s versus 1∕T. The slope, (∂ln s∕∂(1∕T)), of the line is negative indicating that the dissolution reaction is endothermic. When the temperature was within 2 K of the phase transition temperature, however, (∂ln s∕∂(1∕T)) diverged toward negative infinity. The principle of critical point universality predicts that when excess solid nickel (II) oxide is in dissolution equilibrium with liquid isobutyric acid + water, (∂ln s∕∂(1∕T)) should diverge upon approaching the consolute point along the critical isopleth at 38.8 mass % isobutyric acid. As determined by the sign of the enthalpy of solution, the sign of this divergence is expected to be negative. Not only do our experiments confirm these predictions, but they also show that identical behavior can be observed at both 25 and 60 mass % isobustyric acid, compositions which lie substantially to either side of the critical composition.

The rate of iodination of acetone has been measured as a function of temperature in the binary solvent isobutyric acid (IBA) + water near the upper consolute point. The reaction mixture was prepared by the addition of acetone, iodine, and potassium iodide to IBA + water at its critical composition of 38.8 mass % IBA. The value of the critical temperature determined immediately after mixing was 25.43 degrees C. Aliquots were extracted from the mixture at regular intervals in order to follow the time course of the reaction. After dilution of the aliquot with water to quench the reaction, the concentration of triiodide ion was determined by the measurement of the optical density at a wavelength of 565 nm. These measurements showed that the kinetics were zeroth order. When at the end of 24 h the reaction had come to equilibrium, the critical temperature was determined again and found to be 24.83 degrees C. An Arrhenius plot of the temperature dependence of the observed rate constant, k(obs), was linear over the temperature range 27.00-38.00 degrees C, but between 25.43 and 27.00 degrees C, the values of k(obs) fell below the extrapolation of the Arrhenius line. This behavior is evidence in support of critical slowing down. Our experimental method and results are significant in three ways: (1) In contrast to in situ measurements of optical density, the determination of the optical density of diluted aliquots avoided any interference from critical opalescence. (2) The measured reaction rate exhibited critical slowing down. (3) The rate law was pseudo zeroth order both inside and outside the critical region, indicating that the reaction mechanism was unaffected by the presence of the critical point.