Aqueous phase diagrams containing t-aconitic acid+(1-pentanol or +isobutyl acetate or +methyl isobutyl ketone) at 303.15 K

Phase diagrams of ternary systems, water+t-aconitic acid (AA)+(1-pentanol (P) or +isobutyl acetate (iBuAc) or +methyl isobutyl ketone (MIK)), were obtained at 303.15±0.05 K. Experimental results show that all aqueous AA systems have one liquid–liquid equilibria region and three solid–liquid equilibria zones, where the solid is the AA. The recovery of this acid from aqueous solutions was evaluated by analyzing its distribution coefficients, selectivities, and distribution curves on a solvent-free basis. Although the experimental distribution coefficients are practically always less than unity for the three systems, the selectivities are higher due to the lower solubility of the non-consolutes, particularly for MIK, which appears as the best solvent among those studied here. The experimental data were also compared with values calculated by the NRTL and UNIQUAC equations for these ternary mixtures.