Dimerization and Dissociation: The Rate-Controlling steps of molecular Self-Assembly during solution nucleation determined by variation of gas media

To further probe into the link between solution chemistry and nucleation processes experimental and computational data are presented on unsaturated, saturated, and supersaturated solutions and in situ monitoring of nucleation chemistry of p-chlorobenzoic acid (PCBA), p-methoxybenzoic acid (PMBA) and p-nitrobenzoic acid (PNBA), three benzoic acid derivatives with different properties of para-substituents. By variation of the gas media, we were able to establish that hydrogen-bonded dimers (HD) are the basic building unite in solution for clusters and nucleuses despite of the gases and solvents, and there is a strong link between the supersaturated solution chemistry and the intrinsic supersaturation ratio, and the nucleation kinetics. Two different molecular self-assembly pathways and the rate-controlling steps were discussed, which paves new aspects for understanding the role of solution chemistry in directing nucleation processes.