Quantitative solubility data for anthracene (1) in water (2) have been reported in the publications listed in Table 1. No data have been reported on the solubility of water in anthracene.

The original data in all of these publications are compiled in the Data Sheets immediately following this Critical Evaluation.

With the exception of the 300K datum of Davis et al. (ref 1) which is several orders of magnitude lower than all other values, all the available data on the solubility of anthracene in water are summarized in Table 2. Selected data are also plotted in Figure 1.

At 298K the data are clustered around two values (Table 2). A possible explanation for this (ref 6) is that most commercial preparations of anthracene contain about 2% phenanthrene. Although isomeric with anthracene, phenanthrene is about 20 times more soluble which could result in higher observed values of analytical methods such as spectrophotometry which do not distinguish between the two isomers. However, at the present time there are insufficient data to justify rejection of the higher values. Clearly, a careful reinvestigation of this system is justified.

At temperatures lower than 298K the data of Schwarz (ref 5) and May et al. (ref 6) are in good agreement. However, in view of the discrepancies at 298K these values are regarded only as Tentative.

At T > 298K only the data of Wauchope and Getzen (ref 3) are available and in view of the disagreement at 298K must also be regarded as very tentative.