Hydrotropic solubilization--mechanistic studies.

This study examines the mechanism of hydrotropic solubilization using the riboflavin-nicotinamide system. The most commonly proposed mechanism for hydrotropic solubilization is complexation, and therefore, is investigated. Additionally, since nicotinamide and several other hydrotropic agents self-associate in aqueous solution, the possibility that self-association of the hydrotropic agent is important mechanistically is examined by studying the effect of temperature on hydrotropic ability. Researchers have shown that the degree of self association decreases with increasing temperature. Therefore, if temperature affects the solubilizing capacity of nicotinamide, self-association must be mechanistically significant.