Hydration number

A sodium cation is solvated by water molecules with

their partially negative charged lone pairs pointing

inwards towards the positively charged sodium ion

The hydration number, or solvation

number of a compound is defined as the
average number of molecules bound to the
compound more strongly (by 13.3
kcal/mol or more) than they are bound to
other water molecules.[1] The hydration
number is dependent on the concentration
of the compound in solution, and the
identity of the compound. When
compounds are dissolved in water, the
water molecules form a solvation shell
surrounding the solute. For charged
species, the orientation of water
molecules around the solute is dependent
on its ionic charge[2], with cations
attracting water’s electronegative oxygen
and anions attracting the hydrogens.
Uncharged compounds such as methane
can also be solvated by water and also
have a hydration number. Although
solvation shells can contain inner and
outer shell solvent-solute interactions, the
hydration number generally focuses on the
inner shell solvent molecules that most
directly interact with the solute.[3]

Background
Given the overwhelming abundance of
liquid water found in biological systems
and the high prevalence of dissolved ionic
species, understanding the behavior of
ions in solution is critical. Ions in solution
must overcome not only the preferred
entropic state of disordered water
molecules in order to form a solvation
shell, but also the powerful hydrogen
bonding interactions found between water
molecules. Attraction between the solute
ion and water increases with the solute’s
electric charge and decreases with its
radius. Hydration number estimates are
not limited to integer values (for instance,
estimates for sodium include 4, 4.6, 5.3,
5.5, 5.6, 6, 6.5, and 8), with some of the
spread of estimated values being due to
differing detection methods.[4]

Determination of hydration
number
Hydration numbers can be determined
using a variety of different experimental
methods. These include Raman
spectroscopy,[5] neutron and X-ray
scattering,[6] luminescence,[7] and NMR.[8]
Hydration numbers can change depending
on whether the species is locked into a
crystalline lattice form or free flowing in
solution. The apparent hydration number
of a species can vary depending on which
experimental method was used.[4] Large
alkali metal cations in particular, very
common throughout nature and in
biological systems, remain unreliably
characterized.[9]
Methane clathrates

Methane clathrates, crystalline solids formed by

methane being solvated and trapped in a cage of water
molecules, burn robustly.

Methane (CH4) is the simplest

hydrocarbon compound. Although it is
relatively hydrophobic, its small size
allows it to be solvated in a crystalline
shell of water at low temperatures and
high pressures. This forms a solid
crystalline compound similar to ice that
can be found in great quantities under the
sediments of the planet’s ocean floors.
The hydration number for methane in a
clathrate is 46 water molecules per unit
cell. Methane in solution has a hydration
number of 20.[8] In addition to methane,
other simple molecules like ethane and
carbon dioxide can also form hydrates in
these extreme environments.[10]

The global distribution of oceanic methane clathrate

The global distribution of oceanic methane clathrate
reserves found worldwide, 1996

Given the dependence on cold

temperatures in keeping the hydrated
methane locked away from the
atmosphere, anthropogenic climate
change has emerged as a possible
destabilizing force to the vast reserves of
clathrates. Estimates of the amount of
methane locked into clathrates range from
500–2500 gigatons of carbon.[11] Due to
the flammability of methane gas, methane
clathrates can burn creating a striking
“burning ice”. The abundance of methane
clathrates also make it a tempting future
source of fossil fuel energy.[10]

References
1. Zavitsas, Andreas A. (2016). "Some
opinions of an innocent bystander
regarding the Hofmeister series".
Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface
Science. 23: 72–81.
doi:10.1016/j.cocis.2016.06.012 .
2. Vaslow, Fred (1963). "The Orientation
of Water Molecules in the Field of an
Alkali Ion". The Journal of Physical
Chemistry. 67 (12): 2773–2776.
doi:10.1021/j100806a063 .
3. Rempe, Susan B.; Pratt, Lawrence R.
(2001). "The hydration number of Na+
in liquid water". Fluid Phase Equilibria.
183-184: 121–132.
arXiv:physics/0006026 .
doi:10.1016/s0378-3812(01)00426-5 .
4. Mähler, Johan; Persson, Ingmar (2
January 2012). "A Study of the
Hydration of the Alkali Metal Ions in
Aqueous Solution" . Inorganic
Chemistry. 51 (1): 425–438.
doi:10.1021/ic2018693 .
PMC 3250073 . PMID 22168370 .
5. Uchida, Tsutomu; Hirano, Takashi;
Ebinuma, Takao; Narita, Hideo; Gohara,
 Kazutoshi; Mae, Shinji; Matsumoto,
Ryo (1 December 1999). "Raman
spectroscopic determination of
hydration number of methane
hydrates". AIChE Journal. 45 (12):
2641–2645.
doi:10.1002/aic.690451220 .
6. Rempe, Susan B.; Pratt, Lawrence R.;
Hummer, Gerhard; Kress, Joel D.;
Martin, Richard L.; Redondo, Antonio
(1 February 2000). "The Hydration
Number of Li+ in Liquid Water".
Journal of the American Chemical
Society. 122 (5): 966–967.
arXiv:physics/0001011 .
doi:10.1021/ja9924750 .
7. Werner, Eric J.; Avedano, Stefano;
Botta, Mauro; Hay, Benjamin P.; Moore,
Evan G.; Aime, Silvio; Raymond,
Kenneth N. (1 February 2007). "Highly
Soluble Tris-hydroxypyridonate Gd(III)
Complexes with Increased Hydration
Number, Fast Water Exchange, Slow
Electronic Relaxation, and High
Relaxivity" . Journal of the American
Chemical Society. 129 (7): 1870–
1871. doi:10.1021/ja068026z .
PMC 3188311 . PMID 17260995 .
8. Dec, Steven F.; Bowler, Kristin E.;
Stadterman, Laura L.; Koh, Carolyn A.;
Sloan, E. Dendy (1 January 2006).
"Direct Measure of the Hydration
 Number of Aqueous Methane".
Journal of the American Chemical
Society. 128 (2): 414–415.
doi:10.1021/ja055283f .
PMID 16402820 .
9. Smirnov, P. R.; Trostin, V. N. (1
December 2007). "Structures of the
nearest surroundings of the K+, Rb+,
and Cs+ ions in aqueous solutions of
their salts". Russian Journal of General
Chemistry. 77 (12): 2101–2107.
doi:10.1134/S1070363207120043 .
10. Buffett, Bruce; Archer, David (2004).
"Global inventory of methane clathrate:
sensitivity to changes in the deep
 ocean". Earth and Planetary Science
Letters. 227 (3–4): 185–199.
Bibcode:2004E&PSL.227..185B .
doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2004.09.005 .
11. Milkov, Alexei V. (2004). "Global
estimates of hydrate-bound gas in
marine sediments: how much is really
out there?". Earth-Science Reviews. 66
(3–4): 183–197.
Bibcode:2004ESRv...66..183M .
doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2003.11.002 .

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