Octanol/water distribution coefficients of the C~1~ through C~7~ perfluoro-n-alkyl sulfonates: Comparison of the IEFPCM-UFF, CPCM, and SMD solvation models

Abstract

The octanol/water distribution coefficients (log D~ow~) of the C~1~ through C~7~ perfluoro-n-alkyl sulfonates (PFSAs) were calculated using the M062X/6-311++G(d,p) and MP2/6-311++G(d,p)//M062X/6-311++G(d,p) levels of theory and the IEFPCM-UFF, CPCM, and SMD solvation models. At both levels of theory with all solvation models, absolute log D~ow~ calculated for the straight chain C~1~ through C~7~ PFSAs display a substantial negative bias against available experimental data and expected trends by several log units. However, the SMD solvation model achieves accurate relative log D~ow~ accuracy, yielding fragmental contributions of a -CF~2~- group towards the log D~ow~ of 0.51+/-0.02 to 0.54+/-0.01 units (-3.0+/-0.1 to -3.1+/-0.1 kJ/mol), in good agreement with the experimental value of 0.61 units (-3.4+/-0.1 kJ/mol). In contrast, the IEFPCM-UFF and CPCM solvation models exhibit either invariant log D~ow~ with increasing perfluoro-n-alkyl chain length (CPCM) or a modestly decreasing trend (IEFPCM-UFF).