STRUCTURAL STUDY OF TERT-BUTYL ALCOHOL AND WATER MIXTURES BY X-RAY-DIFFRACTION

X-ray diffraction experiments have been carried out at 20°C on tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) and water mixtures at x = 0.039 and 0.17 (x = mole fraction of TBA). For the latter solution the data have also been obtained at 55°C to study the temperature dependence of the mixing state. The structure of water in the solution differs from that of pure water, which is pronounced at the second peak of the radial distribution function arising from water-water interference. It has been shown that at higher concentration some TBA molecules are caged by water molecules and form (TBA)m(H2O)l type clusters and that the structure of water molecules around TBA is very sensitive to a change of temperature. © 1990 American Chemical Society.