DETERGENT-LESS WATER-OIL MICROEMULSIONS .3. EFFECT OF KOH ON PHASE-DIAGRAM AND EFFECT OF SOLVENT COMPOSITION ON BASE HYDROLYSIS OF ESTERS

A ternary phase diagram was prepared for certain compositions of hexane, 2-propanol, and 5.0 mM KOH. The presence of KOH produced significant, though not major, changes in the ternary diagram as compared to the ternary diagram for the hexane/water/2-propanol system [see Smith et al., J. Colloid Interface Sci. 60, 488 (1977)]. The hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl esters by hydroxide was investigated in solutions from different regions of the ternary diagram. Ternary solutions characterized by the presence of water-rich droplets (i.e., detergentless microemulsions) or by the presence of aggregates of water, propanol, and ions were found to be good solvents for the hydrolytic reaction. Ternary solutions with these characteristics appear to be quite suitable as solvents for reactions involving an organic, water-insoluble reactant and an ionic, water-soluble reactant. © 1979.