Is the protonated/acidic form of bromothymol blue more soluble in water or dichloromethane?
It is more soluble in water
Why is it more soluble in water?
To determine the solubility of the protonated/acidic form of bromothymol blue (BTB) in water and dichloromethane, we need to consider the chemical properties and solubility characteristics of BTB.
Bromothymol blue is an organic compound that can exist in two forms: the deprotonated form (with a negative charge) and the protonated/acidic form (with a positive charge). The solubility of a compound can be influenced by its charge, as well as the polarity of the solvent.
Water is a highly polar solvent, while dichloromethane, also known as methylene chloride, is a nonpolar solvent. Polar solvents tend to dissolve polar compounds more readily, while nonpolar solvents dissolve nonpolar compounds better.
In the case of bromothymol blue, the deprotonated form is more soluble in water, as it is a negatively charged species and can interact with the positively charged regions of water molecules. However, the protonated/acidic form, which carries a positive charge, is more likely to dissolve in dichloromethane, which is nonpolar.
To summarize, the protonated/acidic form of bromothymol blue is more soluble in dichloromethane than in water, largely due to the difference in polarity between the solvents and the charge on the molecule.