A Study on the Solvation Phenomena of Some Sodium Salts in 1,2-Dimethoxyethane from Conductance, Viscosity, Ultrasonic Velocity, and FT-Raman Spectral Measurements

Electrical conductances, viscosity, apparent molar adiabatic compressibilities and Fourier transform (FT)-Raman spectra of sodium perchlorate (NaClO<INF>4</INF>), sodium tetrafluoroborate (NaBF<INF>4</INF>), and sodium tetraphenylborate (NaBPh<INF>4</INF>) in 1,2-dimethoxyethane have been reported. All these electrolytes are found to be strongly associated in this solvent medium. Both ion pairs and triple ions are found to be formed though an overwhelming fraction of each of these electrolytes exists as ion pairs. For NaClO<INF>4</INF>, the solvent-separated ion pairs predominate over the contact species. For NaBF<INF>4</INF> and NaBPh<INF>4</INF>, on the other hand, the contact species are also formed in significant amounts. FT-Raman studies indicate the presence of “spectroscopically free” ClO<INF>4</INF>^-, BF<INF>4</INF>^-, and BPh<INF>4</INF>^- ions in 1,2-dimethoxyethane solution. The ClO<INF>4</INF>^- ion is found to be significantly solvated, whereas BF<INF>4</INF>^- and BPh<INF>4</INF>^- ions are poorly solvated in DME solution.