1. Synthesis and Structure Sodium Benzenesulfonate

Sodium benzenesulfonate is a compound that belongs to the class of organic salts, where a sodium cation is paired with a benzenesulfonate anion. Because of this compound’s surfactant qualities, capacity to form complexes, and involvement in a number of synthesis processes, it is of great interest in chemistry and materials research. For sodium benzenesulfonate to operate and be used in a variety of fields, such as organic synthesis, materials science, and environmental research, its synthesis and structure are essential.

1.1 Synthesis of Sodium Benzenesulfonate

The synthesis of sodium benzenesulfonate typically involves the sulfonation of benzene or its derivatives followed by neutralization with sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate. Sulfuric acid or its anhydride can be used to carry out the sulfonation process, which adds a sulfonate group (-SO3H) to the benzene ring to create benzenesulfonic acid. Sodium benzenesulfonate is produced by substituting a sodium ion for the hydrogen atom in the sulfonic acid group during the next neutralization stage. For example, the sulfonate group is added to the aromatic ring in a sequence of events that create the asymmetric sodium benzenesulfonate Gemini surfactant. The product is then neutralized with sodium to generate the surfactant.
Similar to this, sulfonate monomer synthesis is the first step in the manufacture of poly(arylmethyl sulfone) monodendrons. Sodium benzenesulfinate is then combined with this monomer to generate the desired product.

The general synthesis of sodium benzenesulfonate entails sulfonating benzene and then neutralizing it with sodium hydroxide, according to broad understanding of organic chemistry and the sulfonation process. There are two primary phases that characterize the whole reaction:

  1. Sulfonation of Benzene: Benzene reacts with sulfuric acid (H2SO4​) to form benzenesulfonic acid. This reaction is facilitated by the presence of a strong acid, which acts as a catalyst. The general equation for this step is:

C6H6+H2SO4→C6H5SO3H+H2O

  1. Neutralization with Sodium Hydroxide: The benzenesulfonic acid produced in the first step is then neutralized with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to form sodium benzenesulfonate and water. The equation for this reaction is:

C6H5SO3H+NaOH→C6H5SO3Na+H2O

1.2 Structure of Sodium Benzenesulfonate

The structure of sodium benzenesulfonate is characterized by the presence of a benzene ring, which is a six-carbon aromatic hydrocarbon, attached to a sulfonate group. The positive charge of the sodium ion balances the negative charge of the sulfonate group, which is a trioxide sulfur group (-SO3). The chemical has surfactant and water-soluble qualities due to its ionic structure.

The crystal structure of sodium benzenesulfonate complexes has been studied using various techniques such as X-ray diffraction. The crystal structure of the α-cyclodextrin-sodium benzenesulfonate complex, for instance, has a channel-type structure in which the stack of α-cyclodextrin rings forms a channel in which the benzenesulfonate anion is organized. The capacity of the chemical to form stable complexes through hydrogen bonding is demonstrated by the formation of hydrogen bonds between the sulfonato group and the hydroxyl groups of the neighboring cyclodextrin molecule.

 

Reference

1  Lyu, B., Yajin, Y., Gao, D., Yuefeng, W., & Ma, J. (2019). Asymmetric sodium benzenesulfonate Gemini surfactant: Synthesis, properties and application. Journal of Molecular Liquids.

2  Zhao, Q., & Hanson, J.E. (2006). Direct synthesis of poly(arylmethyl sulfone) monodendrons.

3 Harata, K. (1976). The Structure of the Cyclodextrin Complex. III. The Crystal Structure of the α-Cyclodextrin-Sodium Benzenesulfonate Complex. Bulletin of the Chemical Society of Japan, 49, 2066-2072.