Solvation of the Proton in Humic Acids

Abstract

Tuck and Diamond¹ have described the primary solvation of the proton in the solvent extraction of strong acids by basic organic solvents from dilute acids. Their work gives evidence that the hydronium ion, H₃O⁺, is a trihydrated hydronium ion, ${\text{H}}_{\text{3}}\text{O}{{\text{(H}}_{\text{2}}\text{O)}}_{{\text{3}}^{+}}$, in dilute acids. Others have given evidence from X-ray², nuclear magnetic resonance³, infra-red⁴, and Raman⁵ studies for the existence of the hydronium ion, H₃O⁺, in the solid state.