Vapor Pressures and Thermophysical Properties of Ethylene Carbonate, Propylene Carbonate, γ-Valerolactone, and γ-Butyrolactone

In this work, a thermodynamic study of four important industrial solvents, ethylene carbonate (CAS RN: 96-49-1), propylene carbonate (CAS RN: 108-32-7), γ-valerolactone (CAS RN: 108-29-2), and γ-butyrolactone (CAS RN: 96-48-0), is presented. The vapor pressure measurements were performed by static method using two apparatuses in a combined temperature interval (238–363) K. Heat capacities of condensed phases were measured by Tian–Calvet calorimetry in the temperature interval (262–358) K. The phase behavior of ethylene carbonate and γ-valerolactone was investigated by a heat-flux DSC from 183–303 and 328 K, respectively. Ideal-gas thermodynamic properties were calculated using the methods of statistical thermodynamics based on calculated fundamental vibrational frequencies and molecular structure data. A consistent thermodynamic description of all involved properties (calculated ideal-gas heat capacities and experimental data on vapor pressures, condensed phase heat capacities, and vaporization enthalpies) was achieved by their simultaneous correlation.