Calcium chloride in ethanol

[the guy]

So I know that the dissolution of calcium chloride in water is exothermic. I also know that calcium chloride can be used to 'dry' organic solutions by removing water, indicating that it still has a high affinity for water over other solvents.

 

What I was wondering is whether the reaction with water is still exothermic when it is already dissolved in another solvent. And if so, is it lessened at all?

I.E if I added water to a solution of calcium chloride in anhydrous ethanol, would an exothermic reaction occur? And, if so, would it be less exothermic than the addition of water to the solid salt?

(Forget the fact that the extra liquid in the ethanol example might make the heat effects less measurable, I'm largely interested theoretically)

 

Thanks in advance for any help

[John Cuthber]

The mixing of water and alcohol is exothermic.

Good luck disentangling these effects.

 

However, if you start with (separate) ethanol, water and CaCl2 and you end up with a mixture of all 3 the energy released must be the same no matter what order you mixed them.

Incidentally, it's possible that alcohol doesn't mix with a concentrated solution of CaCl2 in water.

It doesn't mix with aqueous solutions of MgSO4 or K2CO3.

[the guy]

But if the calcium chloride is dissolved in the ethanol first, and then the water is added?

[John Cuthber]

the energy released must be the same no matter what order you mixed them.