Using computational chemistry to explore experimental solvent parameters – solvent basicity, acidity and polarity/polarizability

Abstract Solvent basicity and polarity/polarizability parameters are analysed using molecular properties of solvents derived from computational chemistry. The results show that Kamlet and Taft’s measure of hydrogen bond basicity, β , is essentially identical to Gutmann’s donor number, a measure of Lewis basicity, both being determined by the charge on the most negative atom of the solvent molecule and the energy of the electron donor orbital. It is also found that, for both parameters, the calculated values for alcohols and N–H containing bases deviate systematically from those for aprotic solvents. This mirrors Kamlet and Taft’s earlier observation that different solvatochromic probes yield different β values in amphiprotic solvents. Reichardt’s E T (30) and Kamlet, Abboud and Taft’s π * both show direct dependences on the dipole moments and quadrupolar amplitudes of the solvent molecules and, surprisingly, an inverse dependence on the molecular polarizability. Additionally, E T (30) has a strong dependence on the charge on the most positive hydrogen atom of the solvent molecule, reflecting its sensitivity to hydrogen bonding. Unexpectedly, π * shows a dependence on the energy of the electron donor orbital. Kammet and Taaft’s hydrogen bond acidity parameter, α , is discussed in light of the results for π * and E T (30).