Specific ion interactions of KF, and the Na+ salts of SO42-, F-, Cl-, NO3-, I-, and ClO4- with benzene in aqueous solutions were investigated using molecular dynamics simulations and compared with experimental Raman multivariate curve resolution (Raman-MCR) and thermodynamic results. Good agreement is found with the hydration-shell partition coefficients of salts obtained from the thermodynamic analysis and of halogen anions obtained from the Raman-MCR spectra of benzene and pyridine. Larger discrepancies between the simulation and thermodynamic cation partitioning results point to the influence of counter-ion interaction on cation partitioning. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.