Motions of water molecules in dilute aqueous solutions of tertiary butyl alcohol; a neutron scattering study of hydrophobic hydration

Cold neutron inelastic scattering experiments have been performed on dilute aqueous solutions of (CD 3 ) 3 COH and of solutions of (CH 3 ) 3 COH in D 2 O at 21 °C. From the broadening of the quasi-elastic peak and independently determined self-diffusion coefficients ( D ), diffusive lifetimes ( c ) of H 2 O molecules have been calculated as functions of solute concentration. The product Dc is insensitive to concentration, giving a mean diffusion step length of 0.14 nm. The inelastic portion of the spectrum, reflecting lattice-like hydrogen bonding modes indicates that the solute enhances the water ‘structure’ but that such structure bears no resemblance to ice.