Question

The equilibrium constant for dissolution of a non ionic compound, such as diethyl ether$\left({\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{CH}}_2{\mathrm{OCH}}_2{\mathrm{CH}}_3\right)$ , in water can be written

$\mathbf{ether}\left(I\right)\mathbf{֏}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{ether}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{K}\mathbf{=}\left[\mathrm{ether}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)\right]{\mathit{\gamma }}_{\mathbf{ether}}$

At low ionic strength, role="math" localid="1654837696819" $\mathit{\gamma }\mathbf{\approx }\mathbf{1}$ for neutral compounds. At high ionic strength, most neutral molecules can be salted out of aqueous solution. That is, when a high concentration typically $\left(>1M\right)$of a salt such as $\mathbf{NaCI}$is added to aqueous solution, neutral molecules usually becomes less soluble. Does the activity coefficient, ${\mathit{\gamma }}_{\mathbf{ether}}$ increases or decreases at high ionic strength?

Short answer

Thus, the neutral compound in ether would preferentially be extracted in the ether layer and can be easily separated by salting out the layer.

Step-by-step solution

Step 1:Activity Coefficient of Ether at high NaCI concentration

At high concentrations, the activity coefficient value of ether would be very low, and the value would decrease at high ionic strength. Which makes the value of as,

$\mathrm{K}=\left[\mathrm{ether}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)\right]\times \mathrm{activity}\mathrm{coefficient}$

The value is too small to extract from the aqueous layer.

Neutral molecules of Ether at high NaCI concentration

As a result, the neutral compound in ether will preferentially extract in the ether layer and can be easily separated by salting out the layer.