The adsorption parameters (α, with respect to polystyrene) for
20 cyclic aliphatic ethers were established
experimentally in the usual way. Among this set of ethers are
members from three cyclic structural categories,
namely, the polymethylene oxides
[(CH2)
n
O; n = 2−9],
the polymethylene formals
[(CH2)
n
OCH2O;
n =
2−11], and the polyethylene oxides
[(CH2CH2O)
e
;
e = 1−5], and some of the corresponding methyl or
gem-dimethyl modifications thereof. The data obtained thereby were used
to establish the log α vs N linear
relationships (eq 1) for each of the subsets of homologous series
contained in each of these structural categories,
as described in the text. These linear relationships were then
used to calculate the α-values for the many
remaining members that are not yet available for experimental
measurement in our laboratory. The results
obtained thereby show that the α-values for the cyclic ethers in a
given homologous series are uniformly
greater than those for the corresponding set of acyclic ethers.
They also confirm that methyl groups have a
marked negative effect on α when positioned on the carbon atoms
adjacent to the adsorbed ether oxygen
atom, but they have the opposite effect when located one or more carbon
atoms removed from adjacency.
The magnitude of this positive effect appears to increase with the
distance from the adsorption site. These
observations parallel those observed in our earlier studies involving
the corresponding acyclic aliphatic ethers.