Thermal decomposition of 1-alkyl-3-methylpyridinium based ionic liquids

Products of thermodegradation of 1-alkyl-3-methylpyridinium halides are investigated by the method of gas chromatomass spectrometry. The main products of the reaction are 3-methylpyridine and the corresponding alkyl halide. It was supposed that thermodecomposition of pyridinium ionic liquids proceeds similar to that of imidazolium ionic liquids by dealkylation with elimination of the substituent at the nitrogen atom of the pyridinium ring via S_N2 mechanism. The presence of 5 wt % of cellulose decreases the onset temperature of thermodecomposition by 15–20°С.