New hydrophobic ionic liquids based on perfluoroalkyltrifluoroborate anions

New hydrophobic ionic liquids, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium (EMI⁺) perfluoroalkyltrifluoroborate ([R_fBF₃]⁻) (R_f=C₂F₅,n-C₃F₇, and n-C₄F₉) were prepared in high yield and purity by facile neutralization of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium (EMI⁺) methylcarbonate (MeOCO₂⁻) with aqueous H_solv.[R_fBF₃]_solv. solutions. All the salts prepared were characterized by , , NMR, MS and elemental analysis, and thermal and electrochemical properties of these salts have been measured. [EMI][C₂F₅BF₃] melted at lower temperature (−1 °C) than [EMI][BF₄] (13 °C), resulting in higher conductivity at low temperature. Its application to double-layer capacitors (DLCs) was examined.