Expanding the Equilibrium Solubility and Dissolution Thermodynamics of Benzoic Acid in Aqueous Alcoholic Mixtures

The equilibrium solubility of benzoic acid in water and ethanol, as well as in nine {ethanol (1) + water (2)} mixtures, was determined from T = (293.15 to 323.15) K. Benzoic acid mole fraction solubility in these aqueous-ethanolic mixtures was adequately correlated with some well-known correlation/prediction models, obtaining mean percentage deviations of 2.2 to 7.6%. Apparent thermodynamic quantities, namely, Gibbs energy, enthalpy, and entropy, for the dissolution, mixing and solvation processes, were computed by means of the van ’t Hoff and Gibbs equations. The enthalpy–entropy compensation plot of apparent enthalpy vs. apparent Gibbs energy of dissolution was not linear, indicating enthalpy and entropy mechanisms for transfer. Ultimately, by using the inverse Kirkwood–Buff integrals, it is observed that benzoic acid is preferentially solvated by water molecules in water-rich mixtures but preferentially solvated by ethanol molecules in those {ethanol (1) + water (2)} mixtures of 0.24 < x1 < 1.00.