IChO 1995 · Theory problem 6

The surfactant AOT and micellar extraction of proteins

A surfactant molecule can generally be modelled as Fig. 1 where a circle presents the polar head (PH), i.e. the hydrophilic part of the molecule, and a rectangle represents the non-polar tail (NT), i. e. the hydrophobic part of the molecule.

Figure 1

Fig. 1

6.1 AOT is a surfactant. Its systematic name (IUPAC name) is sulfobutanedioic acid 1,4-bis-(2-ethylhexyl) ester sodium salt (formula \(\ce{C20H37NaO7S}\)).

i) Write the structural formula for AOT and fill its PH and NT in the circle and rectangle on your answer sheet.

ii) Choose the type of surfactant AOT among the following.

a) Non-ionic; b) Anionic; c) Cationic; d) Others.

6.2 Mixing an aqueous solution of 50 mmol AOT with isooctane (volume ratio 1 : 1), a micellar extraction system will be formed in the isooctane phase (organic phase).

i) Using the model as shown in Fig. 1, draw a micelle with 10 AOT molecules under the given condition.

ii) What species are in the inner cavity of this micelle? Write their chemical formulas.

6.3 There is an aqueous solution containing the proteins as listed below:

Protein Molecular mass (\(M_r\))\(\times10^4\) Isoelectronic point (PI)
A 1.45 11.1
B 1.37 7.8
C 6.45 4.9
D 6.80 4.9
E 2.40 4.7
F 2.38 0.5

The separation of proteins can be performed by mixing the AOT micellar extraction system with the solution. Adjusting the \(pH\) value of the solution to 4.5, only three of the above listed six proteins can be extracted into the micelles. Which proteins will be extracted?

6.4 The three proteins entered into the micelles will be separated from each other by the following procedure shown as in Fig. 2. Each extracted protein can be sequentially transported into a respective water phase.

Figure 2

Fig. 2

Note: (w) represents water phase; (o) represents organic phase

Fill the three extracted proteins in the left boxes first and then separate them by the procedure given, and give the separation conditions above each arrow as well.

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 6.1(i) AOT is sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate, SMILES: CCCCC(CC)COC(=O)CC(S(=O)(=O)[O-])C(=O)OCC(CC)CCCC.[Na+]. Its PH is the sulfonate-containing polar core; its NT consists of the two 2-ethylhexyl hydrocarbon chains.
  • 6.1(ii) b) Anionic.
  • 6.2(i) Draw a reverse micelle: ten polar-head circles surrounding an aqueous cavity, with ten tail rectangles extending radially outward into isooctane.
  • 6.2(ii) Water, \(\ce{H2O}\), SMILES O, and sodium ions, \(\ce{Na+}\), SMILES [Na+].
  • 6.3 Proteins A, B and E.
  • 6.4 Release E, then B, then A into separate aqueous phases. Suitable successive conditions are \(4.7<\mathrm{pH}<7.8\), then \(7.8<\mathrm{pH}<11.1\), then \(\mathrm{pH}>11.1\); for example, pH 6.0, 9.0 and 12.0, respectively.

Solution

6.1(i) Structure and hydrophilic/hydrophobic regions

Let \(R\) denote a 2-ethylhexyl group:

\[ R=\ce{CH2-CH(CH2CH3)-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH3}. \]

The condensed structural formula of AOT is

\[ \ce{Na+}\qquad \ce{R-O-C(=O)-CH(SO3^-)-CH2-C(=O)-O-R}. \]

The two ester groups each carry a 2-ethylhexyl chain, and the sulfonate group is bonded directly to a central carbon. The two \(R\) groups contribute 16 carbon atoms; the central skeleton contributes four, giving the stated formula \(\ce{C20H37NaO7S}\).

For the model on the answer sheet:

  • Circle, PH: put the sulfonate-containing polar region here. The principal ionic hydrophilic group is the attached sulfonate, \(\ce{-SO3^-}\), fragment SMILES [*]S(=O)(=O)[O-]. The ester groups also contribute polarity. Sodium is its counterion.
  • Rectangle, NT: put the two 2-ethylhexyl groups here, each represented by fragment SMILES [*]CC(CC)CCCC. These hydrocarbon chains constitute the hydrophobic region.

Here [*] marks attachment to the remainder of the molecule. Although AOT has two hydrocarbon chains, the problem’s simplified model represents its entire non-polar region by one rectangle.

No stereochemical configuration is specified, so the AOT SMILES leaves stereochemistry unspecified.

6.1(ii) Surfactant classification

The amphiphilic organic ion bears a negatively charged sulfonate group. The positive sodium ion is the counterion. Therefore AOT is an anionic surfactant, option b.

6.2(i) Arrangement in the organic phase

Isooctane is 2,2,4-trimethylpentane, \(\ce{C8H18}\), SMILES CC(C)(C)CC(C)C. It is a non-polar solvent, so the hydrocarbon tails are directed into this continuous organic phase. The polar heads gather around entrapped water, forming a reverse micelle.

Describe the required drawing as follows:

  • Place exactly ten circles around a central aqueous cavity, approximately \(36^\circ\) apart.
  • Attach one rectangle to the outward-facing side of each circle.
  • Direct all ten rectangles radially away from the cavity into the surrounding isooctane.

Thus the negatively charged heads line the inner aqueous surface, and the non-polar tails form the exterior.

6.2(ii) Contents of the cavity

The cavity contains water, \(\ce{H2O}\), and hydrated sodium counterions, \(\ce{Na+}\). The polar environment accommodates these ions, while the attached sulfonate groups line the cavity’s boundary.

The amount of water enclosed is not specified.

6.3 Selection of proteins

The table’s PI denotes the isoelectric point, conventionally written \(pI\). The relevant charge relationships are

\[ \begin{aligned} \mathrm{pH}<pI &\quad\Rightarrow\quad \text{net positive protein charge},\\ \mathrm{pH}=pI &\quad\Rightarrow\quad \text{zero net protein charge},\\ \mathrm{pH}>pI &\quad\Rightarrow\quad \text{net negative protein charge}. \end{aligned} \]

AOT’s inward-facing heads are negatively charged, so they attract positively charged proteins. Entry also requires a protein to fit within the micellar aqueous region.

At pH 4.5:

Protein \(M_r\) Net charge Consequence in the intended model
A \(1.45\times10^4\) Positive Attracted and sufficiently small
B \(1.37\times10^4\) Positive Attracted and sufficiently small
C \(6.45\times10^4\) Positive Excluded because of its larger size
D \(6.80\times10^4\) Positive Excluded because of its larger size
E \(2.40\times10^4\) Positive Attracted and sufficiently small
F \(2.38\times10^4\) Negative Electrostatically disfavoured

Protein F has \(\mathrm{pH}>pI\), so its charge has the same sign as the AOT heads. Proteins A–E all have the favourable positive charge, but C and D have much greater molecular masses than A, B and E.

Using this size distinction together with the stated fact that exactly three proteins enter the micelles gives

\[ \boxed{\text{A, B and E}}. \]

6.4 Sequential back-extraction

Raise the pH in stages. When the pH exceeds a protein’s \(pI\), its net charge becomes negative, favouring its release from the negatively charged micellar interior into the external aqueous phase.

The three relevant isoelectric points are

\[ pI_E=4.7<pI_B=7.8<pI_A=11.1. \]

Fill the three initial organic-phase boxes, from left to right, with A, B, E. Complete the remaining boxes and arrow conditions as follows:

Arrow Aqueous-phase condition Protein in the new water-phase box, (w) Proteins remaining in the organic-phase boxes, (o)
First \(4.7<\mathrm{pH}<7.8\), e.g. 6.0 E A, B
Second \(7.8<\mathrm{pH}<11.1\), e.g. 9.0 B A
Third \(\mathrm{pH}>11.1\), e.g. 12.0 A None

At the first stage, E is negative while A and B remain positive. At the second stage, B becomes negative while A remains positive. At the final stage, A also becomes negative.

After each equilibration, separate and collect the aqueous phase before contacting the remaining organic phase with the next aqueous solution.

The solution was checked against the official solution.