High and low field permittivity and conductivity measurements for mixtures of alcohols and proton acceptors

Abstract

Conductivity, permittivity and non-linear dielectric measurements have been made for mixtures of t-butyl and benzyl alcohol with the proton acceptors, anisole, dimethylaniline and triethylamine. The results suggest that more than one mechanism may be producing the observed positive non-linear dielectric effect. Earlier work which suggests that the O—H—N hydrogen bond is stronger than the O—H—O is substantiated by the results, which suggest that the bonding between dimethyl-aniline or triethylamine and the alcohols is stronger than the intermolecular bonding between the alcohols themselves. The large increase in conductivity observed on addition of small concentrations of these amines to the alcohols is attributed to a proton transfer mechanism along chains of hydrogen bonded alcohols.