Pre-nucleation aggregation based on solvent microheterogeneity

Chem Commun (Camb). 2019 Apr 18;55(33):4865-4868. doi: 10.1039/c9cc01455a.

Abstract

Investigation into pre-nucleation aggregates indicating hydrate formation of caffeine and theophylline in aqueous acetonitrile showed hydrate crystallisation at much lower water fraction than significant solute self-association. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the solvent separates on the molecular scale and that solute molecules preferentially localise on the phase interface.