On the Dynamic Interaction of n‐Butane with Imidazolium‐Based Ionic Liquids

The impact of a reactant from the gas phase on the surface of a liquid and its transfer through this gas/liquid interface are crucial for various concepts applying ionic liquids (ILs) in catalysis. We investigated the first step of the adsorption dynamics of n‐butane on a series of 1‐alkyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide ILs ([C_nC₁Im][Tf₂N]; n=1, 2, 3, 8). Using a supersonic molecular beam in ultra‐high vacuum, the trapping of n‐butane on the frozen ILs was determined as a function of surface temperature, between 90 and 125 K. On the C₈‐ and C₃‐ILs, n‐butane adsorbs at 90 K with an initial trapping probability of ≈0.89. The adsorption energy increases with increasing length of the IL alkyl chain, whereas the ionic headgroups seem to interact only weakly with n‐butane. The absence of adsorption on the C₁‐ and C₂‐ILs is attributed to a too short residence time on the IL surface to form nuclei for condensation even at 90 K.     

Morphology,Structure, and Dynamics of Pentacene Thin Films and Their Nanocomposites with [C2C1im][NTf2] and [C2C1im][OTF] Ionic Liquids

In this study, a homogeneous thin film growth of pentacene onto indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass surfaces is explored using a high-resolution and reproducible vapor deposition methodology. Moreover, vacuum thermal evaporation of ionic liquids (ILs) ([C₂C₁im][NTf₂] and [C₂C₁im][OTF]) onto ITO, gold/palladium (AuPd) and pentacene surfaces were performed. A greater wettability behavior of ILs is observed for surfaces containing AuPd. Sequential and simultaneous depositions of ILs and pentacene were explored. Simultaneous depositions lead to the formation of nanocomposites films, consisting of IL micro- and nanodroplets covered by pentacene layers. Plasma surface treatment was used to induce the ILs droplets coalescence and explore the dynamics and phase separation of the nanocomposites. The [C₂C₁im][OTF] droplets were found to be completely covered with pentacene, which suggests a great affinity between cation-anion pairs and the aromatic moiety. Pentacene films and their nanocomposites with ILs exhibit a typical optical band gap of E_gap=1.77 eV, indicating that the nanocomposite phase domains are large enough to behavior as the bulk.     

Polyoxometalate Ionic Liquids as Self‐Repairing Acid‐Resistant Corrosion Protection

Corrosion is a global problem for any metallic structure or material. Herein we show how metals can easily be protected against acid corrosion using hydrophobic polyoxometalate‐based ionic liquids (POM‐ILs). Copper metal disks were coated with room‐temperature POM‐ILs composed of transition‐metal functionalized Keggin anions [SiW₁₁O₃₉TM(H₂O)]^n? (TM=Cu^II, Fe^III) and quaternary alkylammonium cations (C_nH_{2 n+1})₄N⁺ (n=7–8). The corrosion resistance against acetic acid vapors and simulated “acid rain” was significantly improved compared with commercial ionic liquids or solid polyoxometalate coatings. Mechanical damage to the POM‐IL coating is self‐repaired in less than one minute with full retention of the acid protection properties. The coating can easily be removed and recovered by rinsing with organic solvents.     

s‐Triazine‐Based Functional Discotic Liquid Crystals: Synthesis,Mesomorphism and Photoluminescence

A new series of C₃‐symmetric, π‐conjugated molecules was designed, synthesized and characterized. The materials were derived from electron‐accepting s‐triazine, appended covalently to electron‐donating styrylbenzene arms, and were readily prepared in excellent yield with high purity by means of three‐fold condensation of triphosphonate with n‐alkoxybenzaldehydes under Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reaction conditions. Examination of the phase transitional properties by several complementary techniques evidenced self‐assembly into a hexagonal columnar phase, occurring over wide and reasonable thermal ranges. The photophysical properties were studied both in solution and in the fluid/frozen columnar states by UV/Vis absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The emission spectra obtained as a function of the temperature rule out the breaking‐up of larger columns and a non‐radiative, thermally activated process. A study carried out on thin films of the glassy columnar state, which accounts for conserved fluorescence, defect‐free orientation, and freezing ionic species, with the help of atomic force microscopy (AFM) images, suggested a homogeneous granular morphology comprising fibrillar structures. Dissimilarities in the surface morphology and birefringence of thin films of the solid and frozen columnar states were clearly shown by Raman spectroscopy. An electrochemical investigation revealed a LUMO energy of ?4.0 eV. Thus, the discotic motifs presented herein meet certain criteria of organic materials, which are essential for developing electronic devices.     

Synthesis and Optoelectronic Properties of Hexahydroxylated 10‐O‐R‐Substituted Anthracenes via a New Modification of the Friedel–Crafts Reaction Using O‐Protected ortho‐Acetal Diarylmethanols

A new modification of the Friedel–Crafts type intramolecular cyclization involving O‐protected ortho‐acetal diarylmethanols as a new type of reactant, was carried out for the first time in a medium containing a large amount of water at room temperature and enabled synthesis of a series of electron‐rich, hexahydroxylated 10‐O‐R‐substituted anthracenes, where R is an alkyl (Me, nBu, n‐C₁₆H₃₃) or arylalkyl group (CH₂Ph, CH₂‐2‐Napht, CH₂C₆H₄CH₂OAr) and also evaluation of their electronic and optoelectronic properties in solution, crystal, and solid thin film. In this transformation, a central 10‐O‐R‐substituted benzene ring was formed, fused to rings originating from two independent aromatic aldehydes. The reaction proceeded via two identified mechanisms involving acetal and/or free aldehyde groups. The acid sensitive acetal and dibenzyl alkoxy functions have never been used together in the intramolecular Friedel–Crafts type cyclization. The new compounds revealed deep blue fluorescence and quantum yields in solution around 0.3. The electrical properties investigated for thin films obtained by vacuum deposition on glass were 10‐O‐R‐substituent dependent and showed much faster transient current decay in the case of the 10‐O‐CH₂Ph derivative than for the material with a 10‐O‐Me substituent (the lifetime of charge carriers was 25 times shorter in this case). The AFM images of thin films, Stokes shifts, and X‐ray analysis of π‐stacking interactions in crystals of the new materials have been also obtained.     

Luminescent Amphiphilic 2,6‐Bis(1‐alkylpyrazol‐3‐yl)pyridyl Platinum(II) Complexes: Synthesis,Characterization, Electrochemical,Photophysical, and Langmuir–Blodgett Film Formation Studies

Two series of novel platinum(II) 2,6‐bis(1‐alkylpyrazol‐3‐yl)pyridyl (N5Cn) complexes, [Pt(N5Cn)Cl][X] ( 1 – 9 ) and [Pt(N5Cn)(C?CR)][X] ( 10 – 13 ) (X=trifluoromethanesulfonate (OTf) or PF₆; R=C₆H₅, C₆H₄‐p‐CF₃ and C₆H₄‐p‐N(C₆H₅)₂), with various chain lengths of the alkyl groups on the nitrogen atom of the pyrazolyl units have been successfully synthesized and characterized. Their electrochemical and photophysical properties have been studied. Some of their molecular structures have also been determined by X‐ray crystallography. Two amphiphilic platinum(II) 2,6‐bis(1‐tetradecylpyrazol‐3‐yl)pyridyl (N5C14) complexes, [Pt(N5C14)Cl]PF₆ ( 7 ) and [Pt(N5C14)(C?CC₆H₅)]PF₆ ( 13 ), were found to form stable and reproducible Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) films at the air–water interface. The characterization of such LB films has been investigated by the study of their surface pressure–area (π–A) isotherms, UV/Vis spectroscopy, XRD, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), FTIR, and polarized IR spectroscopy. The luminescence property of 13 in LB films has also been studied.     

Ionic Self‐Assembly and Red‐Phosphorescence Properties of a Charged Platinum(II) 8‐Quinolinol Complex Associated with Ammonium‐Based Amphiphiles

A series of ionic associates based on the platinum(II) chelate of 5‐sulfo‐8‐quinolinol, [Pt(qS)₂]^2?, and ammonium‐based amphiphiles is described. At variance with the prototypical neutral complex Pt(q)₂ (q=8‐quinolinol), these dianionic fluorophores, functionalized at the periphery with sulfonate groups, can be associated by the ionic self‐assembly approach with various ammonium cations, such as (H_{2 n+1}C_n)₂Me₂N⁺ (n=12, 16, 18) or complex ammonium cations carrying three C_n carbon chains (n=12, 14, 16) and an additional amide group. Investigations of their luminescence properties in solution, in the solid state, and, when possible, in thin films revealed that the phosphorescence properties in condensed phases are directly correlated to intermolecular interactions between the luminescent [Pt(qS)₂]^2? centers. Of particular interest is also the formation of a columnar liquid‐crystalline phase around room temperature (between ?25 and +180 °C), as well as the very good film‐forming ability of some of these fluorophores from organic solvents.     

Ethylene glycol‐based ionic liquids via azide/alkyne click chemistry

A facile synthetic route for the preparation of dicationic ethylene glycol based‐ionic liquids (ILs) via the azide/alkyne “click” reaction is presented. The copper(I) catalyzed, microwave‐assisted azide/alkyne “click” reaction between diazido‐ethylene glycols and the corresponding alkyne containing IL‐head group enables a simple preparation of different sets of poly(ethylene glycol)‐based ILs. Beside tetra‐ and hexa(ethylene glycol)‐based ILs, also oligomeric (M_n = 400 g/mol) and polymeric ILs (M_n up to 1550 g/mol) could be prepared in good yield and with full conversion of the ionic head group. The prepared ILs were extensively characterized via NMR spectroscopy and ESI‐time‐of‐flight (TOF) mass spectroscopy, revealing the formation of multiply charged ions in the negative mode. Thermal stability proved to be exceptionally high (up to 300 °C) together with low glass‐transition temperatures. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Quantitative Image Analysis of Fractal‐Like Thin Films of Organic Semiconductors

Morphology modulation offers significant control over organic electronic device performance. However, morphology quantification has been rarely carried out via image analysis. In this work, we designed a MATLAB program to evaluate two key parameters describing morphology of small molecule semiconductor thin films: fractal dimension and film coverage. We then use this program in a case study of meniscus‐guided coating of 2,7‐dioctyl[1]benzothieno[3,2‐b][1]benzothiophene (C₈‐BTBT) under various conditions to analyze a diverse and complex morphology set. The evolution of morphology in terms of fractal dimension and film coverage was studied as a function of coating speed. We discovered that combined fractal dimension and film coverage can quantitatively capture the key characteristics of C₈‐BTBT thin film morphology; change of these two parameters further inform morphology transition. Furthermore, fractal dimension could potentially shed light on thin film growth mechanisms. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2019 , 57, 1622–1634     

Synthesis,Structure, and Physico‐optical Properties of Manganate(II)‐Based Ionic Liquids

Several ionic liquids (ILs) based on complex manganate(II) anions with chloro, bromo, and bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amido (Tf₂N) ligands have been synthesized. As counterions, n‐alkyl‐methylimidazolium (C_nmim) cations of different chain length (alkyl=ethyl (C₂), propyl (C₃), butyl (C₄), hexyl (C₆)) were chosen. Except for the 1‐hexyl‐3‐methylimidazolium ILs, all of the prepared compounds could be obtained in a crystalline state at room temperature. However, each of the compounds displayed a strong tendency to form a supercooled liquid. Generally, solidification via a glass transition took place below ?40 °C. Consequently, all of these compounds can be regarded as ionic liquids. Depending on the local coordination environment of Mn²⁺, green (tetrahedrally coordinated Mn²⁺) or red (octahedrally coordinated Mn²⁺) luminescence emission from the ⁴T(G) level is observed. 1 The local coordination of the luminescent Mn²⁺ centre has been unequivocally established by UV/Vis as well as Raman and IR vibrational spectroscopies. Emission decay times measured at room temperature in the solid state (crystalline or powder) were generally a few ms, although, depending on the ligand, values of up to 25 ms were obtained. For the bromo compounds, the luminescence decay times proved to be almost independent of the physical state and the temperature. However, for the chloro‐ and bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amido ILs, the emission decay times were found to be dependent on the temperature even in the solid state, indicating that the measured values are strongly influenced by nuclear motion and the vibration of the atoms. In the liquid state, the luminescence of tetrahedrally coordinated Mn²⁺ could only be observed when the tetrachloromanganate ILs were diluted with the respective halide ILs. However, for [C₃mim][Mn(Tf₂N)₃], in which Mn²⁺ is in an octahedral coordination environment, a weak red emission from the pure compound was found even in the liquid state at elevated temperatures.     

Synthesis of Mesoporous Lithium Titanate Thin Films and Monoliths as an Anode Material for High‐Rate Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Mesoporous Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ (LTO) thin film is an important anode material for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). Mesoporous films could be prepared by self‐assembly processes. A molten‐salt‐assisted self‐assembly (MASA) process is used to prepare mesoporous thin films of LTOs. Clear solutions of CTAB, P123, LiNO₃, HNO₃, and Ti(OC₄H₉)₄ in ethanol form gel‐like meso‐ordered films upon either spin or spray coating. In the assembly process, the CTAB/P123 molar ratio of 14 is required to accommodate enough salt species in the mesophase, in which the Li^I/P123 ratio can be varied between molar ratios of 28 and 72. Calcination of the meso‐ordered films produces transparent mesoporous spinel LTO films that are abbreviated as Cxx‐yyy‐zzz or CAxx‐yyy‐zzz (C=calcined, CA=calcined–annealed, xx=Li^I/P123 molar ratio, and yyy=calcination and zzz=annealing temperatures in Celsius) herein. All samples were characterized by using XRD, TEM, N₂‐sorption, and Raman techniques and it was found that, at all compositions, the LTO spinel phase formed with or without an anatase phase as an impurity. Electrochemical characterization of the films shows excellent performance at different current rates. The CA40‐350‐450 sample performs best among all samples tested, yielding an average discharge capacity of (176±1) mA h g^?1 at C/2 and (139±4) mA h g^?1 at 50 C and keeping 92 % of its initial discharge capacity upon 50 cycles at C/2.     

Synthesis and phase‐separation behavior of α,ω‐difunctionalized diblock copolymers

A series of diblock copolymers of n‐pentyl methacrylate and methyl methacrylate (PPMA/PMMA BCP) with one or two terminal functional groups was prepared by sequential anionic polymerization of PMA and MMA using an allyl‐functionalized initiator and/or and end‐capping with allyl bromide. Allyl functional groups were successfully converted into OH groups by hydroboration. The morphology in bulk was examined by temperature‐dependent small‐angle X‐ray measurements (T‐SAXS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showing that functional groups induced a weak change in d‐spacings L₀ as well as in the thermal expansion behavior. T‐SAXS proved that the lamellar morphologies were stable over multiple heating/cooling cycles without order‐disorder transition (ODT) until 300 °C. While non‐functionalized BCP formed parallel lamellae morphologies, additional OH‐termination at the PMMA block forced in very thin films (ratio between film thickness and lamellar d‐spacing below 1) the generation of perpendicular lamellae morphology through the whole film thickness, as shown by Grazing‐incidence small‐angle X‐ray scattering experiments (GISAXS) measurements. Functionalized BCP were successfully used in thin films as templates for silica nanoparticles in an in‐situ sol–gel process. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Ink‐Jet Printing of Electron Donor/Acceptor Blends: Towards Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

Summary: We illustrate the ink‐jet printing of a thin‐film library of donor/acceptor systems useful in bulk heterojunction solar cells and their characterization utilizing a UV‐vis/fluorescence plate reader and an optical profilometer. In addition, the morphology of the films has been examined by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The ink‐jet processing technology allows printing of arrays of different donor/acceptor compositions on one substrate as well as the subsequent fast optical screening of the electron transfer processes. The investigated films consist of blends of a poly(methyl methacrylate) polypyridyl ruthenium(II ) copolymer (RuPMMA) as electron donor material (p‐type) and C₆₀ fullerene (PC₆₀BM) as well as heptyl viologen (C₇‐V) derivatives as electron acceptor materials (n‐type).

Ink‐jet printing process and investigated donor/acceptor pair (RuPMMA‐PC₆₀BM).     

Studies on Properties of Tetra‐p‐nitro‐tetra‐O‐alkylcalix[4]arenes

Ibis paper reports the properties of the novel tetra‐p‐nitro‐tetra‐O‐alkyl‐calix[4]arenes (alkyl= n‐C₄H₉, 1; n‐C₈H₁₇ 2; n‐C₁₂H₂₅, 3; n‐C₁₆H₃₃, 4). X‐ray crystallographic analysis and ¹H NMR revealed that they exist as pinched‐cone conformation in crystal or cone conformation in solution. EFISH experiments at 1064 nm in CHCl₃, indicated that tetra‐p‐nitro‐tetra‐O‐butyl‐calix[4]arene (1) has higher hyperpolarizability β, values than the corresponding reference compound p‐nitro‐phenyl butyl ether, without red shift of the charge transfer band. Compounds 2, 3 and 4 with longer alkyl chains can form monolayer at the air/water.     

Reactive Half‐Metallocenium Ionic Liquids That Undergo Solventless Ligand Exchange

The piano‐stool half‐metallocenium cations [Fe(C₅R₅)(CO)₂ L ]⁺ (C₅R₅=C₅H₅, C₅Me₅, C₅Me₄Et; L =1‐pentene, nBuCN, MeCN, Me₂S, NH₃, NMe₃, pyridine) provide ionic liquids (ILs) with the bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (Tf₂N) anion without introducing long alkyl chains. Their melting points are affected by molecular symmetry, and their thermal stabilities reflect the strength of the metal–ligand bonding. These are reactive liquids that show solventless ligand exchange reactions by gas absorption. The direction of the ligand‐exchange reaction is correlated with the stabilities. Based on the variation of the melting points, these ILs undergo transformations between the liquid and solid phases associated with the reaction.     

Efficient Separation of n‐Butene and iso‐Butene by Flexible Ultramicroporous Metal‐Organic Frameworks with Pocket‐like Cavities

Efficient separation of n‐butene (n‐C₄H₈) and iso‐butene (iso‐C₄H₈) is of significance for the upgrading of C4 olefins to high‐value end products but remains one of the major challenges in hydrocarbon purifications owing to their similar structures. Herein, we report a flexible metal‐organic framework, MnINA (INA=isonicotinate), featuring one‐dimensional pore channels with periodically large pocket‐like cavities connected by narrow bottlenecks, for the first time for efficient n‐/iso‐C₄H₈ separation. MnINA with smaller pore size (4.62 Å) compared with CuINA (4.84 Å), exhibits steep adsorption isotherms and high capacity of 1.79 mmol g^?1 for n‐C₄H₈ (4.46 Å) through strong host‐guest interactions via C?H???π bonding. The narrow bottlenecks exert barriers for the large molecules of iso‐C₄H₈ (4.84 Å) within the gate‐opening pressure range of 0–0.1 bar. This gives rise to MnINA with excellent separation selectivity of 327.7 for n‐/iso‐C₄H₈ mixture. The adsorption mechanism for n‐C₄H₈ and the gate‐opening effect were investigated by dispersion‐corrected density functional (DFT‐D) theory, verifying the strong interactions between n‐C₄H₈ and the frameworks as well as the gate‐opening effect derived from the rotation of organic linkers. The breakthrough tests confirmed MnINA and CuINA can be promising candidates for n‐/iso‐C₄H₈ separation.     

Synthesis and Self‐Assembly of NCN‐Pincer Pd‐Complex‐Bound Norvalines

The NCN‐pincer Pd‐complex‐bound norvalines Boc‐D /L ‐[PdCl(dpb)]Nva‐OMe ( 1 ) were synthesized in multigram quantities. The molecular structure and absolute configuration of 1 were unequivocally determined by single‐crystal X‐ray structure analysis. The robustness of 1 under acidic/basic conditions provides a wide range of N‐/C‐terminus convertibility based on the related synthetic transformations. Installation of a variety of functional groups into the N‐/C‐terminus of 1 was readily carried out through N‐Boc‐ or C‐methyl ester deprotection and subsequent condensations with carboxylic acids, R¹COOH, or amines, R²NH₂, to give the corresponding N‐/C‐functionalized norvalines R¹‐D /L ‐[PdCl(dpb)]Nva‐R² 2 – 9 . The dipeptide bearing two Pd units 10 was successfully synthesized through the condensation of C‐free 1 with N‐free 1 . The robustness of these Pd‐bound norvalines was adequately demonstrated by the preservation of the optical purity and Pd unit during the synthetic transformations. The lipophilic Pd‐bound norvalines L ‐ 2 , Boc‐L ‐[PdCl(dpb)]Nva‐NH‐n‐C₁₁H₂₃, and L ‐ 4 , n‐C₄H₉CO‐L ‐[PdCl(dpb)]Nva‐NH‐n‐C₁₁H₂₃, self‐assembled in aromatic solvents to afford supramolecular gels. The assembled structures in a thermodynamically stable single crystal of L ‐ 2 and kinetically stable supramolecular aggregates of L ‐ 2 were precisely elucidated by cryo‐TEM, WAX, SAXS, UV/Vis, IR analyses, and single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography. An antiparallel β‐sheet‐type aggregate consisting of an infinite one‐dimensional hydrogen‐bonding network of amide groups and π‐stacking of PdCl(dpb) moieties was observed in the supramolecular gel fiber of L ‐ 2 , even though discrete dimers are assembled through hydrogen bonding in the thermodynamically stable single crystal of L ‐ 2 . The disparate DSC profiles of the single crystal and xerogel of L ‐ 2 indicate different thermodynamics of the molecular assembly process.     

Polarity Behaviour and Specific Interactions of Imidazolium‐Based Ionic Liquids in Ethylene Glycol

The molecular interactions of the ionic liquids (ILs) 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [C₄mim][BF₄], 3‐methyl‐1‐octylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [C₈mim][BF₄] and 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium octylsulfate [C₄mim][C₈OSO₃] are investigated in ethylene glycol (EG) over the whole mole fraction range using fluorescence (steady‐state and time‐resolved), Fourier transform infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The cybotactic region surrounding the pyrene fluorescent probe exhibits peculiar characteristics for different ILs in the EG‐rich region. The extent of solute–solvent interactions is assessed by determining the deviations of experimentally observed vibronic band intensity ratios of peak 1 to peak 3 of pyrene fluorescence (I₁/I₃) from a composite I₁/I₃ value obtained using a preferential solvation model. A distinct vibrational frequency shift for various stretching modes of EG (O? H) or ILs (C? H of ring protons, B? F and S?O of anions) indicates specific interactional preferences of EG toward the IL protons/anion. Splitting of the O? H vibration band of EG at 3000–3700 cm^?1 into three separate bands, and analysis of the changes in location and area of these bands as a function of concentration enable precise determination of the effect of ILs on hydrogen bridges of EG. NMR chemical shifts and their deviations from ideality show multiple hydrogen‐bonding interactions of varying strengths between unlike molecules in the mixtures. A comparison of spectroscopic results with thermodynamic properties shows that the mixing microscopic behaviour of the investigated systems is completely different from the macroscopic behaviour, which is primarily governed by the difference in shape, size and nature of the molecules.     

Intrachain versus Interchain Electron Transport in Poly(fluorene‐alt‐benzothiadiazole): A Quantum‐Chemical Insight

Poly(9,9‐di‐n‐octylfluorene‐alt‐benzothiadiazole) [F8BT], displays very different charge‐transport properties for holes versus electrons when comparing annealed and pristine thin films and transport parallel (intrachain) and perpendicular (interchain) to the polymer axes. The present theoretical contribution focuses on the electron‐transport properties of F8BT chains and compares the efficiency of intrachain versus interchain transport in the hopping regime. The theoretical results rationalize significantly lowered electron mobility in annealed F8BT thin films and the smaller mobility anisotropy (μ_∥/μ_⊥) measured for electrons in aligned films (i.e. 5–7 compared to 10–15 for holes).     

Absolute Brønsted Acidities and pH Scales in Ionic Liquids

Although receiving large interest over the last years, some fundamental aspects of Brønsted acidity in ionic liquids (ILs) have up to now been insufficiently highlighted. In this work, standard states, activity, and activity coefficient definitions for IL solvent systems were developed from general thermodynamic considerations and then extended to a general mixed solvent standard state. By using the bromide/bromoaluminate systems as representative ILs, formulae for thermodynamically consistent pH scales for ILs with simple (Br^?) and complex ([Al_nBr_3n+1]^?) anions were derived on the basis of the chemical potential of the proton. Supported by quantum chemical [ccsd(t)/MP2/DFT/COSMO‐RS] calculations, Gibbs solvation energies of the proton were calculated, which allowed the ILs to be ranked in absolute acidity, that is, pH_abs or μ_abs(H⁺, IL), and additionally allowed their acidity to be compared with molecular Brønsted acid systems. It was shown that bromoaluminate ILs are suited for reaching superacidic conditions. The complexity of autoprotolysis processes in C₆MIM⁺[AlBr₄]^? (C₆MIM=1‐hexyl‐3‐methylimidazolium) with or without the addition of basic (i.e. Br^?) or acidic (AlBr₃ and/or HBr) solutes was examined in detail by model calculations, and they indicated a large thermodynamic influence of small deviations from the exact stoichiometric composition.