Protolytic properties of lignin in binary mixtures of water with aprotic solvents

Acid dissociation constants for three main types of phenol structural fragments of lignin in binary mixtures of water with N,N-dymethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, and 1,4-dioxane were determined by spectrophotometric potentiometric titration. The effect of solvent on lignin protolytic properties was examined on the basis of the Kamlet-Taft principle of linear relationship of free solvation energies. It was found that nonspecific interactions with solvent make the dominating contribution to the effect of the medium.