A study was conducted with derivatives of the DNA nucleotide bases adenine and thymine bound inside micelles () in aqueous solution.

Sodium dodecyl sulfate forms micelles with the hydrocarbon tails pointed inward and ionic headgroups exposed to water. It was hypothesized that the bases would form ahydrogen-bonded complex inside the micelle as they do in DNA:

To test the hypothesis, aliquots of 5.0 mMadenine derivative were mixed with aliquots of 5.0 mMthymine derivative in proportions shown in the table. Each solution also contained 20mMsodium dodecyl sulfate. The concentration of product measured by nuclear magnetic resonance also is shown in the table. Are the results consistent with formation of a 1:1complex? Explain your answer.

Step by step solution

01

Define mole fraction.

It is the ratio of number of mole of one component to the total number of moles in given mixture.

02

Determine spreadsheet.

The column E is calculates as:

$\frac{\mathrm{n}(\mathrm{thymine})}{\mathrm{n}(\mathrm{thymine})+\mathrm{n}(\mathrm{adenine})}$

03

Draw graph.

If we see, the peak is at mole fraction 0.5, which will fit in 1:1 complex formation as:

$\frac{1}{1+1}=0.5$

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