Correlation between the fluorescent response of microfluidity probes and the water content and viscosity of ionic liquid and water mixtures

Accurate data on transport properties such as viscosity are essential in plant and process design involving ionic liquids. In this study, we determined the absolute viscosity of the ionic liquid + water system at water mole fractions from 0 to 0.25 for three 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium ionic liquids: 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide. In each case, the excimer to monomer ratio for 1,m-bis(1-pyrenyl)alkanes (m= 3 or 10) was found to increase linearly with the mole fraction of water. Of the probes studied only PRODAN and rhodamine 6G, both of which have the ability to participate in hydrogen bonding, exhibited Perrin hydrodynamic behavior in the lower viscosity bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imides. As a result, these probes allow for the extrapolation of the absolute viscosity of the ionic liquid mixture from the experimental fluorescence steady-state polarization values.     

Optical absorption and fluorescence studies on imidazolium ionic liquids comprising the bis (trifluoromethanesulphonyl)imide anion

Optical absorption and fluorescence behaviour of two rigorously purified imidazolium ionic liquids, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazoliumbis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide are studied in the neat condition and in solution. Non-negligible absorption in the UV region with a long tail extending into the visible region is the main feature of the absorption. Excitation wavelength-dependent two-component fluorescence characterizes the emission behaviour of these liquids. That ion association gives rise to the long absorption tail and shifting fluorescence maximum, which appears to be common to most of the imidazolium ionic liquids, is evident from the effect of the conventional solvents     

Density and viscosity of three (2,2,2-trifluoroethanol + 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium) ionic liquid binary systems

Densities and viscosities were determined for binary mixtures of 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([bmim][BF₄]), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([bmim][PF₆]) or 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide ([bmim][NTf₂]) over the entire range of composition. The experimental measurements were carried out at temperatures ranging from 278.15 K to 333.15 K, at atmospheric pressure. The densities and viscosities of the pure ionic liquids and their mixtures with TFE were described successfully by an empirical third-order polynomial and by the Vogel–Fulcher–Tammann equation, respectively. In addition, excess molar volumes and viscosity deviations were determined from densities and viscosities of mixtures, respectively, and fitted by using the Redlich–Kister equation.     

Intermolecular vibrations and fast relaxations in supercooled ionic liquids

Short-time dynamics of ionic liquids has been investigated by low-frequency Raman spectroscopy (4 < ω < 100 cm(-1)) within the supercooled liquid range. Raman spectra are reported for ionic liquids with the same anion, bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, and different cations: 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium, 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium, 1-butyl-1-methylpiperidinium, trimethylbutylammonium, and tributylmethylammonium. It is shown that low-frequency Raman spectroscopy provides similar results as optical Kerr effect (OKE) spectroscopy, which has been used to study intermolecular vibrations in ionic liquids. The comparison of ionic liquids containing aromatic and non-aromatic cations identifies the characteristic feature in Raman spectra usually assigned to librational motion of the imidazolium ring. The strength of the fast relaxations (quasi-elastic scattering, QES) and the intermolecular vibrational contribution (boson peak) of ionic liquids with non-aromatic cations are significantly lower than imidazolium ionic liquids. A correlation length assigned to the boson peak vibrations was estimated from the frequency of the maximum of the boson peak and experimental data of sound velocity. The correlation length related to the boson peak (～19 A?) does not change with the length of the alkyl chain in imidazolium cations, in contrast to the position of the first-sharp diffraction peak observed in neutron and X-ray scattering measurements of ionic liquids. The rate of change of the QES intensity in the supercooled liquid range is compared with data of excess entropy, free volume, and mean-squared displacement recently reported for ionic liquids. The temperature dependence of the QES intensity in ionic liquids illustrates relationships between short-time dynamics and long-time structural relaxation that have been proposed for glass-forming liquids.     

Extraction of rare earth elements with phosphoryl-containing lariat crown ether in the presence of ionic liquids

Interfacial distribution of rare earth elements (REE) La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and Y between aqueous solutions of their nitrates and solutions of the lariat crown ether 1,4,10,13-tetraoxa-7,16-diaza(diphenylphosphinylmethyl)cyclooctadecane in dichloroethane was studied in the presence of the ionic liquids 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide. The stoichiometry of extracted complexes was determined; the effect of HNO₃ concentration in the aqueous phase and the nature of extractant and ionic liquid on the extraction efficiency of REE(III) was considered.     

Effect of ionic liquids on the extraction of rare-earth elements by bidentate neutral organophosphorus compounds from chloride solutions

The partition of microamounts of lanthanide chlorides (Ln = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and Y) between aqueous HCl and organic solutions of tetraphenylmethylenediphosphine dioxide, diphenyl(diethylcarbamoylmethyl)phosphine oxide, and dibutyl(diethylcarbamoylmethyl)phosphine oxide was studied in the presence of ionic liquids (ILs): 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide. The stoichiometry of extracted complexes was determined. The effect of the aqueous HCl concentration, the nature of the extractant, and the organic diluent on the efficiency of lanthanide extraction was studied.     

Binary Mixtures of Aprotic and Protic Ionic Liquids Demonstrate Synergistic Polarity Effect: An Unusual Observation

In this communication, we demonstrate the solute–solvent and solvent–solvent interactions in the binary mixtures of two aprotic ionic liquids, namely 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide and 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, with the protic ionic liquid 1-methylimidazolium acetate. The synergistic effects as expressed by the solvatochromic parameter are noted. This observation is in contrast to the mixing of protic ionic liquids 1-methylpyrrolidium acetate and 4-methylmorpholine acetate with 1-methylimidazolium acetate, respectively. It appears that the synergistic effects in the binary mixtures of aprotic and protic ionic liquids are caused by the formation of hydrogen bonds, since cations are dominant H-bond donors while anions are dominant H-bond acceptors. Preferential solvation models are used to describe the solute–solvent interactions in the binary ionic liquid mixtures.     

Electron photodetachment from iodide in ionic liquids through charge-transfer-to-solvent band excitation

Solvation of iodide and electrons in an ionic liquid (N,N,N-trimethyl-n-propylammonium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide; TMPA-TFSI) was studied through the absorption spectra of the charge-transfer-to-solvent (CTTS) state of iodide and of solvated electrons. The interaction between the TMPA cation and iodide was strong, whereas electrons were weakly solvated in TMPA-TFSI. We followed electron photodetachment from iodide to the ionic liquid and formation of the solvated electrons by observing absorption in the visible and near-infrared regions using a nanosecond laser flash photolysis method. The quantum yield of the photodetachment in TMPA-TFSI was estimated to be 0.34, which is much higher than that in a high-concentration aqueous salt solution previously reported. We also examined a reaction of the solvated electrons with the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (Bmim-TFSI) as a solute in TMPA-TFSI. The reaction rate was determined to be 5.3 x 10(8) M(-1) s(-1). The electrons before full solvation (dry electrons) reacted with Bmim cations efficiently. These observations suggest that the electrons in TMPA-TFSI can move easily before solvation.     

Non-classical diffusion in ionic liquids

In this study the diffusion coefficient of neutral and cationic ferrocenyl-derivatives have been characterised in a range of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium ionic liquids of the general form [C(n)C(1)Im](+)[X](-). The electrochemistry of ferrocene, 1-ferrocenylmethylimidazole (FcC(1)Im), 1-ferrocenylmethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide ([FcC(1)C(1)Im][Tf(2)N]) and N,N,N,N-trimethylferrocenyl-methylammonium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide ([FcC(1)NMe(3)][Tf(2)N]), in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide ([C(2)C(1)Im][Tf(2)N]) was investigated. It was shown that the diffusion coefficients of each were not significantly affected by the presence and location of a positive charge on the ferrocenyl-derivative, suggesting that coulombic solvent-solute interactions did not hinder motion of these species in ionic liquids. The diffusion coefficients for [FcC(1)C(1)Im][Tf(2)N] in five [C(n)C(1)Im][X] ionic liquids were determined as a function of temperature and the data shown to disobey the Stokes-Einstein equation. This observation is consistent with the fact that ionic liquids are glass formers, systems in which non-Stokesian behaviour is well documented. Measured diffusion coefficient data was used to determine correlation length in the ionic liquid and was found to correlate with the average size of holes, or voids, within the ionic liquid. This interpretation suggests that a model by which a migrating species can jump between voids or holes within the liquid is highly appropriate and is consistent with the observed behaviour measured across a range of temperatures.     

Growth of sputter-deposited gold nanoparticles in ionic liquids

The growth of gold nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized by sputter deposition on an ionic liquid surface is studied in situ in the bulk phase of the ionic liquids (ILs) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide [C(1)C(4)Im][N(CN)(2)], 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide [C(1)C(4)Im][Tf(2)N], 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [C(1)C(4)Im][BF(4)], 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [C(1)C(4)Im][PF(6)] and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium triflate [C(1)C(4)Im][TfO]. It is found that primary nanoparticles with a diameter smaller than 2.5 nm are present in the sample immediately after sputtering. Growth of these primary particles proceeds after the end of the sputtering process and stops when the nanoparticles reach a certain size. Depending on the viscosity of the ionic liquid this growth process can proceed several hours to several days. The growth speed is fastest for the least viscous ionic liquid and follows the trend [C(1)C(4)Im][N(CN)(2)] > [C(1)C(4)Im][Tf(2)N] > [C(1)C(4)Im][TfO] > [C(1)C(4)Im][BF(4)] > [C(1)C(4)Im][PF(6)]. It is also found that a higher concentration of sputtered gold results in faster growth of the gold nanoparticles. A discussion on the growth mechanism of sputtered gold NPs is included.     

The thermochemistry of solvation of imidazolium-based ionic liquids in benzene

ABSTRACT

The present work is devoted to the thermochemical study of solvation of ionic liquids (IL) in benzene. The solution enthalpies of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tricyanomethanide [EMIM][C(CN)₃], 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [BMIM][BF₄], 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [HMIM][PF₆], 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [OMIM][BF₄], 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [EMIM][NTf₂], 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [BMIM][NTf₂] and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate [BMIM][TfO] in benzene were measured. The solvation enthalpies of imidazolium-based IL were calculated. Molar refractions of imidazolium-based IL form literature data on density and refractive indexes of IL were also calculated. The linear correlation between solvation enthalpy and molar refraction of IL was observed. This correlation can be used to calculate the vaporization enthalpy of imidazolium-based IL from solution calorimetry data.     

Extraction of Lithium from Salt Lake Brine with Triisobutyl Phosphate in Ionic Liquid and Kerosene

Three ionic liquids(ILs), namely, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate, 1-butyl-3-me- thylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sul- fonyl]imide with the triisobutyl phosphate(TIBP) and kerosene system were respectively used to extract lithium ion from salt lake brine with a high concentration ratio of magnesium and lithium experimentally. Results indicate that the highest extraction selectivity for lithium was obtained with IL 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)- sulfonyl]imide. The effects of solution pH and phase ratio R(O/A) on the extractive step and the influence of acid concentration of the stripping solution and R(O/A) on the back extraction step were also investigated systematically. The single-step extraction efficiency of lithium ion was 83.71% under the optimal extraction conditions, and the single-step back extraction efficiency was 85.61% with a 1.0 mol/L HCl in 1.0 mol/L NaCl medium as stripping agent at R(O/A)=2. The liquid-liquid extraction mechanism and the complex of the ligand with lithium were proposed.     

Orientational and translational dynamics in room temperature ionic liquids

The authors investigate the dynamics of a series of room temperature ionic liquids, based on the same 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium cation with different anions, by means of broadband (10(-6)-10(9) Hz) dielectric spectroscopy and depolarized light scattering in the temperature range from 400 K down to 35 K. Typical ionic conductivity is observed above the glass transition temperature Tg. Below Tg the authors detect relaxation processes that exhibit characteristics of secondary relaxations, as typically observed in molecular glasses. At high temperatures, the characteristic times of cation reorientation, deduced from the light scattering data, are approximately equal to the electric modulus relaxation times related to ionic conductivity. In the supercooled regime and close to Tg, the authors observe decoupling of conductivity from structural relaxation. Overall, room temperature ionic liquids exhibit typical glass transition dynamics, apparently unaltered by Coulomb interactions.     

Synthesis of Carbonyl Compounds from Alcohols Using Electrochemically Generated Superoxide Ions in RTILs

Abstract

We show that the superoxide ion (O₂ ^??) generated electrochemically from oxygen dissolved in room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) reacts with primary and secondary alcohols to form the corresponding ketones and carboxylic acids, respectively. Specifically, we study the conversion of benzhydrol to benzophenone and benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde/benzoic acid. The kinetics (e.g., rate, selectivity, and yield) for these reactions are also determined as functions of the variations in the structure of the ionic liquids. The RTILs used here are imidazolium-based cations where the functional groups on the imidazolium ring are modified. Specifically, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [bmim][PF₆], 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [bdmim][PF₆], and 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [hmim][PF₆] are used as the reaction medium. These results are compared to an ammonium-based RTIL (N-butyl-N-trimethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide). The results show that the nucleophilic attack by the O₂ ^?? of both the RTIL and the alcohol, especially that of the H atom at the R2 position of the [bmim][PF₆] and [hmim][PF₆], greatly affects the yields. No RTIL degradation products were detected for the reactions in [bdmim][PF₆] and N-butyl-N-trimethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ionic liquids. For the benzyl alcohol oxidation reaction in the RTIL, N-butyl-N-trimethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, benzaldehyde formed did not undergo further oxidation to form benzoic acid, which may be due to the greater hydrophobicity of this RTIL. The competitive reaction kinetics between the alcohol and RTIL component must be considered in the selection of the RTIL solvent system.     

Simulations of photoemission and equilibrium redox processes of ionic liquids: the role of ion pairing and long-range polarization

We have studied oxidation and reduction of ionic liquids using methods of theoretical chemistry. In particular, we have modeled photoelectron spectra of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([emim][Tf(2)N]) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([bmim][Tf(2)N]) ionic liquids and their components. We have considered ion pairs in the gas phase and solvated in the water represented by a dielectric continuum. We have also characterized the isolated cation and anion of the ionic liquids. The calculated quantities have been compared with available experiments. The photoelectron spectra were modeled within linearized reflection approximation, using a composite ab initio approach based on combination of the MP2 method for the ground state, the PMP2 method for the first ionized electronic state and the TDDFT method to estimate the higher ionization energies. We have also briefly explored energetics of processes following the vertical electron attachment/detachment. Our calculations were able to reproduce the measured photoelectron spectra. We have shown that the valence photoelectron spectrum results from simultaneous ionization from many molecular orbitals. In the threshold region, the electron is ejected from the anion in the gas phase ion pair while the cationic moiety is ionized when the ion pair is solvated. We have investigated the effect of both short-range and long-range interactions on the ionization characteristics, showing that the long-range polarization of the solvent effectively screens the specific short-range interactions. The large difference between the HOMO-LUMO gap and the electrochemical window has been rationalized in terms of relaxation following the redox processes, i.e. solute and solvent geometric relaxation and reactions, e.g. dimerization of the imidazolium radical formed during the reduction.     

Comparison of dansylated aminopropyl controlled pore glass solvated by molecular and ionic liquids

We compare how (i) four ionic liquids (ILs) (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([C4mim][BF4]), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([C4mim][Tf2N]), 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([C4mpy][Tf2N]), and trihexyltetradecylphosphonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([P(C6)3C14][Tf2N])) and (ii) two conventional molecular liquids (methanol and 1-octanol) solvate/wet luminescent organic moieties that are covalently attached to the surface of silica controlled pore glass (CPG). A series of aminopropyl CPG particles that have been covalently tagged with the solvatochromic fluorescent probe group dansyl were used in this study. The results demonstrate that ILs solvate/wet the silica surface differently in comparison to molecular liquids (MLs). Specifically, when comparing ILs and MLs that appear to solvate the free probe, dansylpropylsulfonamide (DPSA), equally in solution, we find that ILs do not solvate/wet the silica surfaces as well as the corresponding MLs. The cation component in these ILs is the significant factor in how the ILs solvate/wet silica surfaces. Solvation/wetting of surface-bound species at a silica surface depends on the cation size. Chlorosilane end-capping of the surface silanol and amine residues attenuates the cation's affects.     

[Bmim]PF6 and BF4 ionic liquids as novel and recyclable reaction media for aromatic amination

Activated aryl halides undergo smooth nucleophilic substitution reactions with secondary amines in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([bmim]PF₆) or 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([bmim]BF₄) ionic liquids (ILs) at room temperature to afford the corresponding arylamines in excellent yields under mild and neutral conditions.     

Development of in situ scanning electron microscope system for real time observation of metal deposition from ionic liquid

Based on our previous finding that room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) can be observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) without charging of the liquid, a specifically designed electrochemical cell has been developed to observe electrochemical metal deposition from RTIL in real time by SEM. The cell was fabricated employing a fluorine doped tin oxide transparent glass, whose surface was divided into three electrodes. Then, the effectiveness of the fabricated cell was confirmed by demonstrating silver deposition form RTIL of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (BMI-TFSI) containing Ag-TFSI, which gave growth of granular and dendritic forms of Ag deposit.     

Vesicles in ionic liquids

The formation of vesicles from 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) in several room-temperature ionic liquids, namely, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BmimBF(4)), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BmimPF(6)), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (EmimNTf(2)), and N-benzylpyridinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (BnPyNTf(2)), as well as in a water/BmimBF(4) mixture, was investigated. In pure ionic liquids, observations by staining transmission electron microscopy demonstrated clearly the formation of spherical structures with diameters of 200-400 nm. The morphological characteristics of these vesicles in ionic liquids, in particular, the membrane thicknesses, were first investigated by small-angle neutron scattering measurements. The mean bilayer thickness was found to be ～63 ± 1 ? in a deuterated ionic liquid (BnPyNTf(2)-d). This value was similar to that observed in water. The effect of ILs on the modification of the phase physical properties of multilamellar vesicles (MLVs) was then investigated by differential scanning calorimetry. In pure IL as in water, DPPC exhibited an endothermic pretransition followed by the main transition. These transition temperatures and the associated enthalpies in ILs were higher than those in water because of a reduction of the electrostatic repulsion between zwitterionic head groups. To better understand the effect of ionic liquid on the formation of multilamellar vesicles, mixtures of BmimBF(4) and water, which are miscible in all proportions, were analyzed (BmimBF(4)/water ratio from 0% to 100%). SANS and DSC experiments demonstrated that the bilayer structure and stability were strongly modified by the IL content. Moreover, matching SANS experiments showed that BmimBF(4) molecules prefer to be located inside the DPPC membrane rather than in water.     

Physicochemical properties of imidazolium-derived ionic liquids with different C-2 substitutions

Five room temperature ionic liquids based on C-2 substituted imidazolium cations and bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (TFSI) anions were synthesized and their physicochemical properties: thermal property, density, viscosity, ionic conductivity, self-diffusion coefficients, and electrochemical stability, were systematically investigated. The temperature dependence of both viscosity and ionic conductivities of these ionic liquids can be described by the Vogel-Fulcher-Tamman (VFT) equation. Compared with the reference, 1-propyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide, the introduction of functional groups at the C-2 position generally increased the viscosity and lowered the ionic conductivity. The introduction of an ether group (-CH(2)OCH(2)CH(2)CH(2)CH(3)) at the C-2 position not only enhanced the reduction stability of the ionic liquids but also exhibited the lowest solid electrolyte interfacial resistance (R(SEI)). In contrast, the introduction of a cyano group (-CN) at the C-2 position not only decreased the reduction stability but also adversely increased the SEI resistance. The effect of the C-2 substitution on the reduction stability was explained by the change in the energy level of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital. The self-diffusion coefficients (D) of each ion were measured by pulsed field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance (PFG-NMR). The lithium transference number (t(Li)) of 0.5 M LiTFSI/IL solutions calculated from the self-diffusion coefficients was in the range of 0.04 to 0.09.