Multiple Ether-Functionalized Phosphonium Ionic Liquids as Highly Fluid Electrolytes

Ionic liquids (ILs) are promising electrolytes, although their often high viscosity remains a serious drawback. The latter can be addressed by the introduction of multiple ether functionalization. Based on the highly atom efficient synthesis of tris(2-ethoxyethyl) phosphine, several new phosphonium ionic liquids were prepared, which allows studying the influence of the ether side chains. Their most important physicochemical properties have been determined and will be interpreted using established approaches like ionicity, hole theory, and the Walden plot. There is striking evidence that the properties of phosphonium ionic liquids with the methanesulfonate anion are dominated by aggregation, whereas the two triple ether functionalized ILs with the highest fluidity show almost ideal behavior with other factors being dominant. It is furthermore found that the deviation from ideality is not significantly changed upon introduction of the ether side chains, although a very beneficial impact on the fluidity of ILs is observed. Multiple ether functionalization therefore proves as a powerful tool to overcome the disadvantages of phosphonium ionic liquids with large cations.     

Porous Ionic Liquids or Liquid Metal–Organic Frameworks?

Porous liquids can be prepared from the dispersion metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) in ionic liquids (ILs). Porous liquids prepared from 5 % of ZIF‐8 in a phosphonium‐based ionic liquid are capable of absorbing reversibly up to 150 % more nitrogen and 100 % more methane than the pure ionic liquid.     

Novel halogen-free chelated orthoborate-phosphonium ionic liquids: synthesis and tribophysical properties

We report on the synthesis, characterisation, and physical and tribological properties of halogen-free ionic liquids based on various chelated orthoborate anions with different phosphonium cations, both without halogen atoms in their structure. Important physical properties of the ILs including glass transition temperatures, density, viscosity and ionic conductivity were measured and are reported here. All of these new halogen-free orthoborate ionic liquids (hf-BILs) are hydrophobic and hydrolytically stable liquids at room temperature. As lubricants, these hf-BILs exhibit considerably better antiwear and friction reducing properties under boundary lubrication conditions for steel-aluminium contacts as compared with fully formulated (15W-50 grade) engine oil. Being halogen free these hf-BILs offer a more environmentally benign alternative to ILs being currently developed for lubricant applications.     

Extension of the Ye and Shreeve group contribution method for density estimation of ionic liquids in a wide range of temperatures and pressures

An extension of the Ye and Shreeve group contribution method [C. Ye, J.M. Shreeve, J. Phys. Chem. A 111 (2007) 1456–1461] for the estimation of densities of ionic liquids (ILs) is here proposed. The new version here presented allows the estimation of densities of ionic liquids in wide ranges of temperature and pressure using the previously proposed parameter table. Coefficients of new density correlation proposed were estimated using experimental densities of nine imidazolium-based ionic liquids. The new density correlation was tested against experimental densities available in literature for ionic liquids based on imidazolium, pyridinium, pyrrolidinium and phosphonium cations. Predicted densities are in good agreement with experimental literature data in a wide range of temperatures (273.15–393.15 K) and pressures (0.10–100 MPa). For imidazolium-based ILs, the mean percent deviation (MPD) is 0.45% and 1.49% for phosphonium-based ILs. A low MPD ranging from 0.41% to 1.57% was also observed for pyridinium and pyrrolidinium-based ILs.     

Ionic liquids: New generation stable plasticizers for poly(vinyl chloride)

Room temperature ionic liquids (ILs), based on ammonium, imidazolium and phosphonium cations, were studied as novel plasticizers for poly(vinyl chloride), PVC. All the ILs tested were able to produce flexible PVC. Upon 20 wt% plasticization, some of the ILs lowered the glass transition temperature (T_g) of PVC more than that done by several traditional plasticizers. They showed good thermodynamic compatibility as well. Several ILs showed better leaching and migration resistance than the traditional plasticizers. This was, in particular, a significant observation considering the ongoing controversy regarding the leaching and migration issues of the commonly-used phthalate plasticizers. High temperature and ultraviolet (UV) ray stability of IL-plasticized PVC samples were also studied.     

Activity and stability of α-chymotrypsin in biocompatible ionic liquids: enzyme refolding by triethyl ammonium acetate

In view the of wide scope of structural information of biomolecules in biocompatible ionic liquids (ILs) in various applications including chemical and biochemical, it is essential to study the productive preferential interactions between biological macromolecules and biocompatible ILs. We have therefore explored the stability and activity of α-chymotrypsin (CT) in the presence of five ILs from different families, such as triethyl ammonium acetate (TEAA), triethyl ammonium phosphate (TEAP) from ammonium salts, 1-benzyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([Bzmim][Cl]), 1-benzyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([Bzmim][BF(4)]) from imidazolium salts and tetra-butyl phosphonium bromide (TBPBr) from phosphonium families. Circular dichroism (CD) and UV-vis spectrophotometer experiments were used to study CT stabilization by ILs, related to the associated structural changes and enzyme activity studies, respectively. We observed that all ILs have a dominant contribution to the stabilization of CT. The stability and activity of CT depends on the structural arrangement of the ions of ILs. Our experimental results explicitly elucidate that more hydrophobic imidazolium and phosphonium cations carrying longer alkyl chains of ILs ([Bzmim][Cl], [Bzmim][BF(4)] and TBPBr) were weak stabilizers for CT, while small alkyl chain molecules of triethyl ammonium salts (TEAA and TEAP) are strong stabilizers and therefore more biocompatible for CT stability. Our CD and NMR measurements reveal that TEAA is a refolding additive for CT from a quenched thermal unfolded enzyme structure.     

Tetrahaloindate(III)-based ionic liquids in the coupling reaction of carbon dioxide and epoxides to generate cyclic carbonates: H-bonding and mechanistic studies

The microwave reactions of InX3 with [Q]Y produce a series of tetrahaloindate(III)-based ionic liquids (ILs) with a general formula of [Q][InX3Y] (Q = imidazolium, phosphonium, ammonium, and pyridinium; X = Cl, Br, I; Y = Cl, Br). The reaction of CO2 with a variety of epoxides has been examined in the presence of these ILs wherein tetrahaloindate(III)-based ILs are found to exhibit high catalytic activities and evidence is presented that supports the significant role of H-bonding interactions in the [Q][InX3Y]-catalyzed coupling reactions. The effects of various parameters such as temperature, pressure, and molar ratio of propylene oxide to catalyst have been investigated, and the plausible reaction mechanism based on the 1H and 13C NMR studies is presented for the formation of propylene carbonate.     

Characterization of phosphonium ionic liquids through a linear solvation energy relationship and their use as GLC stationary phases

In recent years, room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) have proven to be of great interest to analytical chemists. One important development is the use of RTILs as highly thermally stable GLC stationary phases. To date, nearly all of the RTIL stationary phases have been nitrogen-based (ammonium, pyrrolidinium, imidazolium, etc.). In this work, eight new monocationic and three new dicationic phosphonium-based RTILs are used as gas–liquid chromatography (GLC) stationary phases. Inverse gas chromatography (GC) analyses are used to study the solvation properties of the phosphonium RTILs through a linear solvation energy model. This model describes the multiple solvation interactions that the phosphonium RTILs can undergo and is useful in understanding their properties. In addition, the phosphonium-based stationary phases are used to separate complex analyte mixtures by GLC. Results show that the small differences in the solvent properties of the phosphonium ILs compared with ammonium-based ILs will allow for different and unique separation selectivities. Also, the phosphonium-based stationary phases tend to be more thermally stable than nitrogen-based ILs, which is an advantage in many GC applications.     

Physicochemical properties and plastic crystal structures of phosphonium fluorohydrogenate salts

Fluorohydrogenate salts of quaternary phosphonium cations with alkyl and methoxy groups (tetraethylphosphonium (P(2222)(+)), triethyl-n-pentylphosphonium (P(2225)(+)), triethyl-n-octylphosphonium (P(2228)(+)), and triethylmethoxymethylphosphonium (P(222(101))(+))) have been synthesized by the metatheses of anhydrous hydrogen fluoride and the corresponding phosphonium bromide or chloride precursors. The three salts with asymmetric cations, P(222m)(FH)(2.1)F (m = 5, 8, and 101), are room temperature ionic liquids (ILs) and are characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, density, viscosity, and conductivity measurements. Linear sweep voltammetry using a glassy carbon working electrode shows these phosphonium fluorohydrogenate ILs have wide electrochemical windows (>4.9 V) with the lowest viscosity and highest conductivity in the known phosphonium-based ILs. Thermogravimetry shows their thermal stabilities are also improved compared to previously reported alkylammonium cation-based fluorohydrogenate salts. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction revealed that tetraethylphosphonium fluorohydrogenate salt, P(2222)(FH)(2)F, exhibits two plastic crystal phases. The high temperature phase has a hexagonal lattice, which is the first example of a plastic crystal phase with an inverse nickel arsenide-type structure, and the low-temperature phase has an orthorhombic lattice. The high-temperature plastic crystal phase exhibits a conductivity of 5 mS cm(-1) at 50 °C, which is the highest value for the neat plastic crystals.     

The initial stages of radiation damage in ionic liquids and ionic liquid-based extraction systems

Radical intermediates generated in radiolysis and photoionization of ionic liquids (ILs) composed of ammonium, phosphonium, pyrrolidinium, and imidazolium cations and bis(triflyl)amide, dicyanamide, and bis(oxalato)borate anions have been studied using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Large yields of terminal and penultimate C-centered radicals are observed in the aliphatic chains of the phosphonium, ammonium, and pyrrolidinium cations, but not for imidazolium cation. This pattern is indicative of efficient deprotonation of a hole trapped on the parent cation (the radical dication) that competes with rapid electron transfer from a nearby anion. This charge transfer leads to the formation of stable N- or O-centered radicals; the dissociation of parent anions is a minor pathway. Addition of 10-40 wt % of trialkyl phosphate (a common extraction agent) has relatively little effect on the fragmentation of the ILs. The yield of the alkyl radical fragment generated by dissociative electron attachment to the trialkyl phosphate is <4% of the yield of the radical fragments derived from the IL solvent. The import of these observations for radiation stability of the prospective nuclear cycle extraction systems based upon the ILs is discussed.     

两种疏水型膦类离子液体的密度、动力粘度及电导率

Two air and water stable hydrophobic phosphonium ionic liquids (ILs), tributyl-hexylphosphonium tetrafluoroborate ([P4446][BF4]) and tributyl-hexylphosphonium bis (trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide ([P4446][NTf2]), were prepared by the traditional method. Their basic physico-chemical properties of density, dynamic viscosity, and electrical conductivity were measured in the temperature range of 283.15-353.15 K. The effect of the temperature and structure of the anion on the thermodynamic properties were discussed. The properties are compared with the cation structures changing of the phosphonium type ILs. The most important thermodynamic properties for their practical application, such as molecular volume, standard molar entropy, and lattice energy, were calculated from their density using empirical equations. The calculated values were compared with those of imdazolium and pyridinium type ILs. Molar electrical conductivity was determined from density and electrical conductivity. The applicability of the Vogel-Fulcher-Tamman (VFT) and Arrhenius equations to the fitting of the dynamic viscosity and electrical conductivity was validated. The activation of the electrical conductivity and dynamic viscosity were obtained from the final VFT equation. According to the Walden rule, the density, dynamic viscosity, and electrical conductivity were described by the Walden equation. The results are very important for academic studies as well as industrial applications of these ILs.     

Extractive Desulfurization of Liquid Fuel using Modified Pyrollidinium and Phosphonium Based Ionic Liquid Solvents

In the pursuit of better solvents for use in the extractive desulfurization (EDS) of liquid fuel, the pyrollidinium and phosphonium based ionic liquids (ILs) have been improved by combining them with selected molecular compound modifiers. The modifiers, which are imidazole, poly(ethylene) glycol (PEG 200) and sulfolane were selected to induce previously nonexistent mechanisms in the presence of refractory sulfur compounds. The addition of PEG 200 and sulfolane were observed to have a more positive impact on the performance of the ILs than the addition of imidazole under the same conditions. This provides further support for the idea that π–π interaction may not be the predominant interactions for the ILs that are the highly effective in EDS. Using the sulfolane modified tetrabutylphosphonium methanesulfonate [P₄₄₄₄][MeSO₃], up to 81% dibenzothiophene (DBT) removal was recorded at a temperature of 30 °C and solvent-to-mass ratio of 1:1 and after a 30 min mixing time.     

Physical and electrochemical properties of low-viscosity phosphonium ionic liquids as potential electrolytes

A new group of room temperature ionic liquids based on triethylalkylphosphonium cations together with a bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide anion as a novel electrolyte is presented in this report. It was found that phosphonium ionic liquids showed lower viscosities and higher conductivities than those of the corresponding ammonium ionic liquids. Particularly, phosphonium ionic liquids containing a methoxy group, triethyl(methoxymethyl)phosphonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide and triethyl(2-methoxyethyl)phosphonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, exhibited quite low viscosities (35 and 44 mPa s at 25 °C, respectively). Linear sweep voltammetry measured in neat phosphonium ionic liquids at a glassy carbon electrode indicated wide potential windows (at least −3.0 to +2.3 V vs. Fc/Fc⁺). Thermogravimetric analysis suggested that phosphonium ionic liquids were thermally stable up to nearly 400 °C, showing slower gravimetric decreases at high temperature compared to those of the corresponding ammonium ionic liquids.     

Syntheses and characterization of few bio-ionic liquids comprising of cholinium cation and plant derived carboxylic acids as anions

Due to the increasing trend to use ionic liquids (ILs) for number of applications, it is of utmost importance to ensure non toxicity of the solvent systems which may contaminate the processed products. The reported toxicity of several imidazolium based ionic liquids posed a need to develop bio based ILs for various applications which are due to their bio-origin are bio compatible, nontoxic and biodegradable. Herein eleven bio-based ionic liquids were prepared using acid moieties available in various plants and characterized. Although some of the ILs were used to separate antibodies such as IgG from rat serum in the form of aqueous biphasic systems but to find their direct application for material preparation and food applications, herein rheological behavior of the ILs were investigated. The choline based IL containing coumarine-3-carboxylate was found to have highest zero shear viscosity while the IL with D-(−)-quinate was found to have the lowest. The viscoelastic behavior of the ionic liquids established anion dependent viscous and liquid like behavior of the ionic liquids. Interestingly the ILs showed viscosity independent ion conductivity. Due to the high conductivity, stable physical state and bio-origin such ILs have the potential for applications in electrochemistry, food and material science.     

Specific phenomena in carboxylic acids extraction by selected types of hydrophobic ionic liquids

An overview on specific phenomena in extraction of carboxylic acids with hydrophobic ionic liquids (ILs) based on results of new measurements with selected phosphonium, ammonium and imidazolium ILs and published data is presented. Formation of IL – acid hydrated complexes with multiple molecules of organic acid per one IL ion pair was observed. The distribution coefficient of carboxylic acids and water content in ILs strongly decreases with the increasing acid concentration. Dependence of water content in the solvent passes through a minimum at loading of IL with butyric acid of about 3. Two extraction mechanisms are involved: competitive extraction of acid and water with the release of water from the solvent and co-extraction of water with acid depending on the IL concentration. A strong synergistic effect was observed between the cation and anion of ILs enhancing their extractive properties compared to IL precursors. A new extraction model suggests the formation of water bridges and polar nano-channels which is in agreement with the molecular modelling results. ILs are nano-segregated liquids with a structure sensitive to the content of molecular compounds. Water and carboxylic acids accumulate in polar domains and dodecane in non-polar domains modifying the IL structure and decreasing the solvent phase viscosity. The hypothesis of hopping mechanism in polar channels for acid molecules transport between acid chains at IL binding sites is suggested.     

Effect of temperature on the physical properties of two ionic liquids

Density, speed of sound, refractive index, and dynamic viscosity of the ionic liquids (ILs) 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, BMpyr NTf₂, and trihexyl(tetradecyl) phosphonium dicyanamide, P₆₆₆₁₄ dca, were studied as a function of temperature at atmospheric pressure. Thermal expansion coefficient, α_p, molecular volumes, and standard entropies of these ILs were calculated from the experimental density values. The solubility of three aromatic components (benzene, toluene, and ethylbenzene) in the selected ILs was carried out at T = 298.15 K and atmospheric pressure and compared with literature values for sulfolane.     

Tetraalkylphosphonium polyoxometalate ionic liquids: novel, organic-inorganic hybrid materials

Pairing of a Keggin or Lindqvist polyoxometalate (POM) anion with an appropriate tetraalkylphosphonium cation is shown to yield the first members of a new family of ionic liquids (ILs). Detailed characterization of one of them, an ambient-temperature "liquid POM" comprising the Lindqvist salt of the trihexyl(tetradecyl) phosphonium cation, by voltammetry, viscometry, conductimetry, and thermal analysis indicates that it exhibits conductivity and viscosity comparable to those of the one previously described inorganic-organic POM-IL hybrid but with substantially improved thermal stability.     

离子液体催化CO2与环氧化物合成环状碳酸酯

综述了离子液体催化CO2与环氧化物的环加成反应制备环状碳酸酯的研究进展。目前报道的离子液体主要包括咪唑盐、季铵盐、季鏻盐等。对比了传统离子液体与功能化离子液体对CO2环加成反应的催化活性、选择性以及催化作用机制。与传统的离子液体相比,功能化离子液体的羟基或羧基等官能团与卤素离子等Lewis碱之间存在协同效应,使得其对CO2与环氧化物的环加成反应具有更好的催化活性;将功能化离子液体固载于无机材料(SiO2,SBA-15,MCM-41等)或聚合物所得的多相催化剂不仅保持了官能团与阴离子之间的协同效应,而且载体与离子液体活性组分之间也显示出协同效应,使得该类催化剂具有很好的催化活性,稳定性好,可以多次重复使用,具有较好的工业化前景,是值得深入研发的一类催化材料。此外,离子液体对于手性环状碳酸酯的合成也具有较好的催化活性和立体选择性。     

Analysis of quaternary ammonium and phosphonium ionic liquids by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with charged aerosol detection and unified calibration

Several hydrophobic ionic liquids (ILs) based on long-chain aliphatic ammonium- and phosphonium cations and selected aromatic anions were analyzed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) employing trifluoroacetic acid as ion-pairing additive to the acetonitrile-containing mobile phase and adopting a step-gradient elution mode. The coupling of charged aerosol detection (CAD) for the non-chromophoric aliphatic cations with diode array detection (DAD) for the aromatic anions allowed their simultaneous analysis in a set of new ILs derived from either tricaprylmethylammonium chloride (Aliquat 336) and trihexyltetradecylphosphonium chloride as precursors. Aliquat 336 is a mix of ammonium cations with distinct aliphatic chain lengths. In the course of the studies it turned out that CAD generates an identical detection response for all the distinct aliphatic cations. Due to lack of single component standards of the individual Aliquat 336 cation species, a unified calibration function was established for the quantitative analysis of the quaternary ammonium cations of the ILs. The developed method was validated according to ICH guidelines, which confirmed the validity of the unified calibration. The application of the method revealed molar ratios of cation to anion close to 1 indicating a quantitative exchange of the chloride ions of the precursors by the various aromatic anions in the course of the synthesis of new ILs. Anomalies of CAD observed for the detection of some aromatic anions (thiosalicylate and benzoate) are discussed.     

Calorimetric Studies and Structural Aspects of Ionic Liquids in Designing Sorption Materials for Thermal Energy Storage

The thermal properties of a series of twenty‐four ionic liquids (ILs) have been determined by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) with the aim of simulating processes involving water sorption. For eleven water‐free ILs, the molecular structures have been determined by X‐ray crystallography in the solid state, which have been used to derive the molecular volumes of the ionic components of the ILs. Moreover, the structures reveal a high prevalence of hydrogen bonding in these compounds. A relationship between the molecular volumes and the experimentally determined energies of dilution could be established. The highest energies of dilution observed in this series were obtained for the acetate‐based ILs, which underlines their potential as working fluids in sorption‐based thermal energy storage systems.