What effect does the presence of the sodium sulfite group on methyl orange have on the solubility of methyl orange in water? If this group were absent, would you expect the solubility of the resulting molecule to be more or less soluble in hexane than methyl orange, and why?

Question

anonymous · Answer

The anionic sulfite group makes the molecule much more soluble in a polar solvent like water.  If it weren't there, its solubility in hexane would improve, since the rest of the molecule is pretty nonpolar.