Ionic liquids as designer solvents for nucleophilic aromatic substitutions

Ionic liquids were designed to optimize the nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction of an activated aniline with an activated arylhalide. The design was achieved by selecting the anions on the basis of calculations of the gas-phase basicity of their conjugate acids.     

Ionic liquids as catalytic green solvents for cracking reactions

We demonstrate the use of room-temperature ionic liquids as catalysts and solvents for the cracking reaction of alkoxypropanes, eliminating the need for a volatile organic solvent and hazardous catalyst disposal.     

Ionic liquids as recycling solvents for the synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles

This work describes an easy synthesis (one pot) of MFe(2)O(4) (M = Co, Fe, Mn, and Ni) magnetic nanoparticles MNPs by the thermal decomposition of Fe(Acac)(3)/M(Acac)(2) by using BMI·NTf(2) (1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide) or BMI·PF(6) (1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate) ionic liquids (ILs) as recycling solvents and oleylamine as the reducing and surface modifier agent. The effects of reaction temperature and reaction time on the features of the magnetic nanomaterials (size and magnetic properties) were investigated. The growth of the MNPs is easily controlled in the IL by adjusting the reaction temperature and time, as inferred from Fe(3)O(4) MNPs obtained at 150 °C, 200 °C and 250 °C with mean diameters of 8, 10 and 15 nm, respectively. However, the thermal decomposition of Fe(Acac)(3) performed in a conventional high boiling point solvent (diphenyl ether, bp 259 °C), under a similar Fe to oleylamine molar ratio used in the IL synthesis, does not follow the same growth mechanism and rendered only smaller NPs of 5 nm mean diameter. All MNPs are covered by at least one monolayer of oleylamine making them readily dispersible in non-polar solvents. Besides the influence on the nanoparticles growth, which is important for the preparation of highly crystalline MNPs, the IL was easily recycled and has been used in at least 20 successive syntheses.     

Ionic liquids as reaction medium in cellulose functionalization

The application of different ionic liquids (IL), namely 1-N-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C(4)mim](+)Cl(-)), 3-methyl-N-butyl-pyridinium chloride and benzyldimethyl(tetradecyl)ammonium chloride were investigated as solvents for cellulose. The ILs used have the ability to dissolve cellulose with a degree of polymerization in the range from 290 to 1 200 to a very high concentration. Using [C(4)mim](+)Cl(-), no degradation of the polymer appears. By (13)C NMR measurement it was confirmed that this IL is a so-called non-derivatizing solvent. [C(4)mim](+)Cl(-) can be applied as a reaction medium for the synthesis of carboxymethyl cellulose and cellulose acetate. Without using any catalyst, cellulose derivatives with high degree of substitution could be prepared.(13)C NMR spectrum of cellulose dissolved in the IL [C(4)mim](+)Cl(-) (top). The (13)C NMR spectrum of cellulose dissolved in DMSO/tetrabutylammonium fluoride trihydrate is shown for comparison (bottom).     

Diels-Alder reaction in protic ionic liquids

Protic imidazolium ionic liquids have been tested as reaction media in the Diels-Alder reaction between cyclopentadiene and two dienophiles (dimethyl maleate and methyl acrylate). Good conversions and endo/exo selectivities were achieved. The activation of the dienophile by hydrogen bonding with protic imidazolium ILs was demonstrated.     

The cosolvent-directed Diels-Alder reaction in ionic liquids

The rate constants of a bimolecular Diels-Alder reaction in binary mixtures of ionic liquids prepared in molecular solvents were analyzed to investigate the effect of viscosity of the medium and solvent effect. In this connection, we have carried out the Diels-Alder reaction of anthracene 9-carbinol with N-ethyl maleimide in binary mixtures of pyridinium-based ionic liquids, 1-butyl-pyridinium tetrafluoroborate, 1-butyl-3-pyridinium tetrafluoroborate, and 1-butyl-4-methyl pyridinium tetrafluoroborate in water, methanol, and chloroform at 298.15 K. The rates of reaction decreased, caused by gradually increasing the volume fraction of ionic liquids in solvents for all three ionic liquids. The kinetic results demonstrate a successful application of the pairwise interaction model built upon the concept of enforced hydrophobic hydration. A temperature-dependent study of kinetics of the Diels-Alder reaction was carried out in the binary mixtures of ionic liquids in water and was explained by the entropy-enthalpy compensation effect based upon activation parameters. Kinetics of the Diels-Alder reaction in highly aqueous medium was noted to be entropically driven.     

Ionic liquids as stationary phase solvents for methylated cyclodextrins in gas chromatography

Summary Room temperature ionic liquids (RTIL) are molten salts with melting points well below room temperature. 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride is a typical example of such RTIL. It was used as a solvent to dissolve permethylated-β-cyclodextrin (BPM) and dimethylated-?cyclodextrin (BDM) to prepare stationary phases for capillary columns in gas chromatography for chiral separation. The RTIL containing columns were compared to commercial columns containing the same chiral selectors. A set of 64 chiral compounds separated by the commercial BPM column was tested on the RTIL BPM column. Only 21 were enantioresolved. Similarly, a set of 80 compounds separated by the commercial BDM column was passed on the RTIL BDM column with only 16 positive separations. It is proposed that the imidazolium ion pair could make an inclusion complex with the cyclodextrin cavity, blocking it for chiral recognition. All the chiral compounds recognized by the RTIL columns had their asymmetric carbon that was part of a ring structure. The retention factors of the derivatized solutes were lower on the RTIL columns than those obtained on the commercial equivalent column. The peak efficiencies obtained with the RTIL capillary were significantly higher than that obtained with the commercial column. These observations may contribute to the knowledge of the mechanism of cyclodextrin-based GC enantioselective separations.     

Ionic liquids as surfactants

Problems of self-assembling in systems containing ionic liquids (ILs) are discussed. Main attention is paid to micellization in aqueous solutions of dialkylimidazolium ILs and their mixtures with classical surfactants. Literature data are reviewed, the results obtained by the authors and co-workers are presented. Thermodynamic aspects of the studies and problems of molecular-thermodynamic modeling receive special emphasis. It is shown that the aggregation behavior of dialkylimidazolium ILs is close to that of alkyltrimethylammonium salts (cationic surfactants) though ILs have a higher ability to self-organize, especially as it concerns long-range ordering. Some aspects of ILs applications are outlined where their common features with classical surfactants and definite specificity are of value.     

Ionic liquids: solvents and sorbents in sample preparation

The applications of ionic liquids (ILs) and IL‐derived sorbents are rapidly expanding. By careful selection of the cation and anion components, the physicochemical properties of ILs can be altered to meet the requirements of specific applications. Reports of IL solvents possessing high selectivity for specific analytes are numerous and continue to motivate the development of new IL‐based sample preparation methods that are faster, more selective, and environmentally benign compared to conventional organic solvents. The advantages of ILs have also been exploited in solid/polymer formats in which ordinarily nonspecific sorbents are functionalized with IL moieties in order to impart selectivity for an analyte or analyte class. Furthermore, new ILs that incorporate a paramagnetic component into the IL structure, known as magnetic ionic liquids (MILs), have emerged as useful solvents for bioanalytical applications. In this rapidly changing field, this Review focuses on the applications of ILs and IL‐based sorbents in sample preparation with a special emphasis on liquid phase extraction techniques using ILs and MILs, IL‐based solid‐phase extraction, ILs in mass spectrometry, and biological applications.     

Ionic liquid-catalyzed Diels-Alder reaction of levopimaric acid with quinones

Diels-Alder reactions of levopimaric acid with quinones are strongly accelerated in the presence of ionic liquids (imidazolium salts) as catalyst.     

Ionic liquids as hypergolic fuels

In propellant systems, fuels of choice continue to be hydrazine and its derivatives, even though they comprise a class of acutely carcinogenic and toxic substances which exhibit rather high vapor pressures and require expensive handling procedures and costly safety precautions. Only recently (2008), ionic liquids (salts with melting points less than 100 °C) with the dicyanamide anion were shown to exhibit hypergolic properties (instantaneous ignition when contacted with oxidizers (100 % nitric acid, WFNA)). Such liquids tend to have low volatilities, and high thermal and chemical stabilities, and often exhibit long liquid ranges which could allow utilization of these substances as bipropellant fuels over a variety of conditions. A new family of dicyanoborates is presented, which can be synthesized in water, with substituted N‐acyclic, N‐cyclic, and azolium cations has met nearly all of the desired important criteria needed for well‐performing fuels.     

Ionic liquids: Promising green solvents for lignocellulosic biomass utilization

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Low-melting sugar-urea-salt mixtures as solvents for Diels-Alder reactions

Sweet solutions are obtained upon heating mixtures of simple carbohydrates, urea and inorganic salts to moderate temperatures, to give new chiral media for organic reactions.     

Converting exo-selective Diels-Alder reaction to endo-selective in chloroloaluminate ionic liquids

The endo:exo ratio of 0.35:1 for the reaction of cyclopentadiene with methyl methacrylate observed in organic solvents can be converted to 3:1 in chloroaluminate ionic liquids with their effective reuse in Diels-Alder reactions.     

Ionic liquids and deep eutectic mixtures as new solvents for the synthesis of vanadium fluorides and oxyfluorides

An exploratory study of the synthesis of vanadium (oxy)fluorides (VOFs) using ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic mixtures (DESs) as a solvent yielded 10 different materials. The previously reported chain type: (NH(4))(2)VF(5) (1), (NH(4))(2)VOF(4) (2), NH(4)VO(3) (3) and (H(2)NH(2)(CH(2))(2)NH(2))VF(5) (9) have been successfully produced for the first time using ILs as the reaction media. The monomeric (HNH(2)CH(3))(2)VOF(4)(H(2)O) (4), the dimer (HNH(2)CH(3))(4)V(2)O(2)F(8) (5) and the 1D chains (HNH(2)CH(3))(2)VF(5) (6), (H(2)O)(2)VF(3) (7), α-(H(2)NH(2)(CH(2))(2)NH(2))VOF(4) (8) and β-(H(2)NH(2)(CH(2))(2)NH(2))VOF(4) (10) are novel materials. Template control has also been achieved by the selective choice of ILs or the appropriate deep eutectic mixture, where the expected template is delivered to the reaction by the partial breakdown of the urea derivative portion of the DES.     

Intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction leading to tricyclic derivatives as intermediates of natural products synthesis

Tricyclic compounds 4a and 4b possessing a bicyclo[4.3.0] moiety, were successfully synthesized by using the intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction. The siloxy- rather than acyloxy-substituents increased the ratio of the endo-cylcoadducts 10 and 12. The oxygen substitution of 9 influenced conformation of the transition state, which was stereochemically restricted by the butenolide moiety. In addition, 9b carrying a hydroxyl group also produced 10b in a similar ratio to 9a. Compound 11 was the only exo-adduct produced in all of the entries.     

Fluoropropenoates as dienophiles in the Diels-Alder reaction

Several fluorinated alkenes were prepared from known ethyl (R)-2-fluoro-4,5-dihydroxyisopropylidine-2-pentenoate (1). The fluoroalkenoates were tested as dienophiles with several dienes and showed cycloaddition only with the very reactive diene, 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran (5). Fluorobutenolide 2 reacted with 5 to produce the endo-syn adduct 9 in a highly stereoselective manner.     

Ionic liquids as amphiphile self-assembly media

In recent years, the number of non-aqueous solvents which mediate hydrocarbon-solvent interactions and promote the self-assembly of amphiphiles has been markedly increased by the reporting of over 30 ionic liquids which possess this previously unusual solvent characteristic. This new situation allows a different exploration of the molecular "solvophobic effect" and tests the current understanding of amphiphile self-assembly. Interestingly, both protic and aprotic ionic liquids support amphiphile self-assembly, indicating that it is not required for the solvents to be able to form a hydrogen bonded network. Here, the use of ionic liquids as amphiphile self-assembly media is reviewed, including micelle and liquid crystalline mesophase formation, their use as a solvent phase in microemulsions and emulsions, and the emerging field of nanostructured inorganic materials synthesis. Surfactants, lipids and block co-polymers are the focus amphiphile classes in this critical review (174 references).     

Ionic liquids as powerful solvent media for improving catalytic performance of silyl borate catalyst to promote Diels-Alder reactions

Use of the acidic chloroaluminate ionic liquid, including the recycled ones, can improve the catalytic activity of the toluene-coordinated silyl borate in enhancing rates, stereoselectivities, and yields of Diels-Alder reactions.