Densities of solutions of oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids in n hexane and n heptane were measured using a vibrating tube densimeter at 298.15 K in a concentration range of 0-0.012 molar fractions of solute. The measurement error does not exceed ±5•10 -6 g cm -3 . The limiting partial molar volumes of fatty acids of the studied series in n hexane and n heptane and the excess volume properties of binary mixtures were calculated. On going from oleic to linolenic acid, the number of double bonds (>C=C<) in a solute molecule increases, the hydrocarbon chain length in a solvent molecule decreases, and compactness of the structure packing of the resulting solution increases. This is caused, as a whole, by the enhancement of the n alkane-acid intermolecular interaction.Unsaturated fatty carboxylic acids (UFA) are active participants of metabolism and biochemical synthesis pro cesses. 1-3 Oleic, linoleic, and linolenic fatty acids oc cupy an important place among the compounds of this class. The two last compounds are classified as essential acids of the vitamin F group, which are also used as ad sorbates to provide aggregative and sedimentation stabil ity of magnetic liquids. 4-8These UFA are interesting, first of all, due to the fact that their "long chain" molecules contain the same num ber of carbon atoms (C 18:n ) but differ in the number of double bonds n C=C in the cis 3 , cis 6 , and cis 9 posi tions with respect to the terminal methyl group. 1,2 There fore, each of the compared UFA has specific features governing solvation in solutions.The thermodynamic properties of UFA solutions in nonpolar organic solvents are of great interest, because these solutions form a basis for promising syntheses of highly dispersed magnetite containing liquid phase systems. 6-9Previously, 7 we studied the heats of solvation of oleic and linoleic acids in n hexane to establish the solvating power of nonpolar solvents with respect to UFA. It is shown that the solvation process becomes less endother mic with an increase in n C=C in an acid molecule. These conclusions 7 can be supplemented by analysis of the data on the volume characteristics. In particular, the approach based on a comparison of the volume effects of solvation of fatty acids in aprotic nonpolar solvents of the same homological series gives useful information.In the present work, we report the results of densimet ric measurements of solutions of oleic, linoleic, and lino lenic acids in two saturated hydrocarbons, namely, n hexane and n heptane, at T = 298.15 K.
ExperimentalExperimental procedure. Hexane (pure) was purified accord ing to a previously described procedure. 10 At the final stage, the purification product was distilled (excluding moisture), and the fraction boiling at 69 °C was collected. Heptane (reagent grade) was purified by fractionation distillation, collecting the conden sate with the boiling point 98.5 °C. The overall content of ad mixtures in the purification products of n alkanes (according to the analyses results) did not exceed 0.1 wt.%. To eva...