Difference Between Protic and Aprotic Solvent
Property |
Protic Solvent |
Aprotic Solvent |
Data Retention | Protic solvents are polar liquid. Substances with hydrogen atoms can break apart. | Aprotic solvents are polar liquid. Substances devoid of hydrogen atoms can be separated. |
Hydrogen bond formation | Hydrogen bonds are able to form in a protic solvent. | Hydrogen bonds cannot form in aprotic liquids. |
Existing Chemical Bonds | O-H bonds and N-H bonds abound in protic solvents. | O-H bonds and N-H bonds are absent from aprotic solvents. |
Preferred type of reaction | Protic solvents prefer SN1 reactions to take place. | Aprotic solvents prefer SN2 reactions to take place. |
Dipole moment | High | Varies |
Acids and bases and their interactions | Able to provide and absorb protons. | Can absorb protons but cannot donate. |
Reactivity with NaOH | Protonate | No reaction |
Solubility of salts | Good | Poor |
Solubility of gases | Poor | Good |
Acidity | Yes | No (except for trifluoroacetic acid) |
Basicity | Yes | Varies |
Examples of use | Acid-catalyzed reactions, nucleophilic substitutions, SN1 | Friedel-Crafts reactions, Grignard reactions, SN2 |
Difference Between Protic and Aprotic Solvents
Difference Between Protic and Aprotic Solvents: Solvents are important components of many chemical reactions because they aid in the dissolution of reactants and the creation of products. Not all solvents, however, are made alike, and their characteristics can have a substantial influence on the result of a reaction. Solvents can be classified according to whether they are protic or aprotic. In the following article, we will look at the differences and characteristics of protic and aprotic solvents.