Application of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy for Validation of the Novel (AN+DN) Solvent Polarity Scale

Abstract

Based on solvation studies of polymers, the sum (1:1) of the electron acceptor (AN) and electron donor (DN) values of solvents has been proposed as an alternative polarity scale. To test this, the electron paramagnetic resonance isotropic hyperfine splitting constant, a parameter known to be dependent on the polarity/proticity of the medium, was correlated with the (AN+DN) term using three paramagnetic probes. The linear regression coefficient calculated for 15 different solvents was approximately 0.9, quite similar to those of other well-known polarity parameters, attesting to the validity of the (AN+DN) term as a novel “two-parameter” solvent polarity scale.

Keywords

• polarity
• solvent
• EPR
• spin label
• isotropic hyperfine splitting constant