Nanoscale heterogeneity in alkyl-methylimidazolium bromide ionic liquids

High-energy x-ray diffraction measurements and atomistic molecular dynamics (AMD) numerical simulations have been carried out on 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ionic liquids, C(n)mimBr, with n = 2, 4, and 6. Excellent agreement between experiment and simulation is obtained, including the region of the low-Q peak that has proved problematic in previous work in the literature. In the partial structure analysis of the AMD results, a distinct peak develops at the leading edge of the ring-ring pair distribution function and shifts to lower r with increasing alkyl chain length, indicating that the preferential parallel and antiparallel alignment of neighboring cation rings plays a larger role with increasing chain length. The ring-ring, anion-anion, and ring-anion partial structure factors are dominated by strong charge-ordering peaks around 1.1 A?(-1), corresponding to a distance between neighboring polar entities of D(2) = 5.7 A?. In contrast, the tail-tail S(Q) is dominated by the low-Q peak that rises and moves to lower Q with increasing chain length; the length scale of this structural heterogeneity D(1) increases from about 10 A? in C(2)mimBr to 14.3 A? in C(4)mimBr and 18.8 A? in C(6)mimBr. Both the length scale of the structural heterogeneity and its anomalous temperature dependence in the C(n)mimBr liquids studied here show considerable similarity to results in the literature for C(n)mimPF(6) liquids, indicating a remarkable insensitivity to the form and size of the anion. Our results are consistent with the concept of nanoscale heterogeneity with small, crystal-like moieties.     

Structural origin of energetic heterogeneity in ionic liquids

How structural features observed computationally are connected to excitation-wavelength dependent kinetics observed experimentally remains an unanswered question in the field of ionic liquids. Using molecular dynamics simulation methods and approximated models that simplify the electrostatic interactions in ionic liquids, we discovered that on the timescale shorter than the relaxation time of the photochemical process, the energetic heterogeneity in terms of distribution of excitation energies is the consequence of the structure heterogeneity formed by local arrangement of ions around the solute probe.     

Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy evidence for structural heterogeneity in ionic liquids

In this work, we provide new experimental evidence for chain length-dependent self-aggregation in room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). In studying a homologous series of N-alkyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide, [C(n)MPy][Tf(2)N] RTILs of varying alkyl chain length (n = 3, 4, 6, 8, and 10), biphasic rhodamine 6G solute diffusion dynamics were observed; both the fast and slow diffusion coefficients decreased with increasing alkyl chain length, with the relative contribution from slower diffusion increasing for longer-chain [C(n)MPy][Tf(2)N]. We propose that the biphasic diffusion dynamics originate from self-aggregation of the nonpolar alkyl chains in the cationic [C(n)MPy](+).     

Cooperativity in ionic liquids

Cooperativity in ionic liquids is investigated by means of static quantum chemical calculations. Larger clusters of the dimethylimidazolium cation paired with a chloride anion are calculated within density functional theory combined with gradient corrected functionals. Tests of the monomer unit show that density functional theory performs reasonably well. Linear chain and ring aggregates have been considered and geometries are found to be comparable with liquid phase structures. Cooperative effects occur when the total energy of the oligomer differs from a simple sum of monomer energies. Cooperative effects have been found in the structural motifs examined. A systematic study of linear chains of increasing length (up to nine monomer units) has shown that cooperativity plays a more important role than expected and is stronger than in water. The Cl...H distance of the chloride to the most acidic proton increases with an increasing number of monomer units. The average bond distance approaches 218.9 pm asymptotically. The dipole moment grows almost linearly and the dipole moment per monomer unit reaches the asymptotic value of 16.3 D. The charge on the chloride atoms decreases with an increasing chain length. In order to detect local hydrogen bonding in the clusters a new parametrization of the shared-electron number method is introduced. We find decreasing hydrogen bond energies with an increasing cluster size for both the first hydrogen bond to the most acidic proton and the average hydrogen bond.     

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.     

Guanidinium-based ionic liquids

Cyclic (subset=N+<, subset = imidazolidine 3 and 4, hexahydro-pyrimidine 7 and 8, tetrahydro-1,3,5-oxadiazine 12, and triazoline 15 and 16) and acyclic [(R2N)2C=N+<, 19] guanidinium-based salts were synthesized via the quaternization of guanidine derivatives with nitric or perchloric acid or with iodomethane followed by metathesis reaction with silver nitrate, silver perchlorate, or ammonium dinitroamide. The structure of 15d was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray analysis. Most of the salts exhibited low melting points and good thermal stabilities. Their densities range between 1.2 and 1.5 g/cm3. Standard molar enthalpies of formation were calculated from experimentally determined constant-volume combustion energies obtained using an oxygen bomb calorimeter.     

Methimazole-based ionic liquids

The alkylation reaction of 2-mercapto-1-methylimidazole 1a with iodoethane and chlorobutane produced S-alkylmethimazole halides 2a and 2b which were subjected to anion metathesis with two different metal salts (MA) to afford methimazole-based room-temperature ionic liquids 3a, 3b, and 3c in 82%, 85%, and 87% yields, respectively. S-Alkylation giving 2a and 2b suggests that methimazole reacts through the thione tautomer.     

Tetraalkylphosphonium-based ionic liquids

Ionic liquids are salts that are liquid at or near room temperature. Their wide liquid range, good thermal stability, and very low vapor pressure make them attractive for numerous applications. The general approach to creating ionic liquids is to employ a large, unreactive, low symmetry cation with and an anion that largely controls the physical and chemical properties. The most common cations used in ionic liquids are N-alkylpyridinium and N,N′-dialkylimidazolium. Another very effective cation for the creation of ionic liquids is tetraalkylphosphonium, [PR₁R₂R₃R₄]⁺. The alkyl groups, R_n, generally are large and not all the same. The halide salts of several phosphonium cations are available as starting materials for metathesis reactions used to prepare ionic liquids. The large phosphonium cations can combine with relatively large anions to make viscous but free flowing liquids with formula mass greater than 1000 g mol⁻¹. Some other more massive salts are waxes and glasses. The synthesis and the physical, chemical, and optical properties of phosphonium-ionic liquids having anions with a wide range of masses were measured and are reported here.     

Choline-derivative-based ionic liquids

A total of sixty-three choline derivative-based ionic liquids in the forms of chlorides, acesulfamates, and bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imides have been prepared and their physical properties (density, viscosity, solubility, and thermal stability) have been determined. Thirteen of these salts are known chlorides: precursors to the 26 water-soluble acesulfamates, 12 acesulfamates only partially miscible with water, and 12 water-insoluble imides. The crystal structures for two of the chloride salts-(2-hydroxyethyl)dimethylundecyloxymethylammonium chloride and cyclododecyloxymethyl(2-hydroxyethyl)dimethylammonium chloride-were determined. The antimicrobial (cocci, rods, and fungi) activities of the new hydrophilic acesulfamate-based ILs were measured and 12 were found to be active. The alkoxymethyl(2-hydroxyethyl)dimethylammonium acesulfamates have been shown to be insect feeding deterrents and thus open up a new generation of synthetic deterrents based on ionic liquids. The alkoxymethyl(2-decanoyloxyethyl)dimethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imides have also been shown to act as fixatives for soft tissues and can furthermore be used as substitutes for formalin and also preservatives for blood.     

Microwave-assisted separation of ionic liquids from aqueous solution of ionic liquids

Microwave-assisted separation has been applied to recover ionic liquid (IL) from its aqueous solution as an efficient method with respect to time and energy compared to the conventional vacuum distillation. Hydrophilic ILs such as 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([Bmim][BF(4)]), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate ([Bmim][TfO]) and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium methylsulfate ([Emim][MS]) could be recovered in 6 min from the mixture of ILs and water (1:1, w/w) under microwave irradiation at constant power of 10 W while it took at least 240 min to obtain ILs containing same water content (less than 0.5 wt%) by conventional vacuum oven at 363.15 K with 90 kPa of vacuum pressure. Energy consumptions per gram of evaporated water from the homogeneous mixture of hydrophilic ILs and water (1:1, w/w) by microwave-assisted separation were at least 52 times more efficient than those in conventional vacuum oven. It demonstrated that microwave-assisted separation could be used for complete recovery of ILs in sense of time and energy as well as relevant purity.     

离子液体中的不对称催化反应*

对价格昂贵的手性催化剂进行回收和重复利用是目前不对称催化领域面临的难题之一,受到学术界和工业界的共同关注。化学家们已经尝试了许多方法,其中使用离子液体来替代常规有机溶剂使催化剂得到分离和重新使用已经引起他们极大的兴趣。本文综述了近年来在离子液体中进行不对称催化反应的研究进展,对离子液体中过渡金属和有机小分子催化的各种反应进行重点介绍,强调了离子液体不但在催化剂回收方面有独特优势,而且在许多反应中能够提高催化效率。     

Catalytic reactions in ionic liquids

The chemical industry is under considerable pressure to replace many of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are currently used as solvents in organic synthesis. The toxic and/or hazardous properties of many solvents, notably chlorinated hydrocarbons, combined with serious environmental issues, such as atmospheric emissions and contamination of aqueous effluents is making their use prohibitive. This is an important driving force in the quest for novel reaction media. Curzons and coworkers, for example, recently noted that rigorous management of solvent use is likely to result in the greatest improvement towards greener processes for the manufacture of pharmaceutical intermediates. The current emphasis on novel reaction media is also motivated by the need for efficient methods for recycling homogeneous catalysts. The key to waste minimisation in chemicals manufacture is the widespread substitution of classical 'stoichiometric' syntheses by atom efficient, catalytic alternatives. In the context of homogeneous catalysis, efficient recycling of the catalyst is a conditio sine qua non for economically and environmentally attractive processes. Motivated by one or both of the above issues much attention has been devoted to homogeneous catalysis in aqueous biphasic and fluorous biphasic systems as well as in supercritical carbon dioxide. Similarly, the use of ionic liquids as novel reaction media may offer a convenient solution to both the solvent emission and the catalyst recycling problem.     

Grignard reagents in ionic liquids

Grignard reagents were generated from magnesium and organic iodides in the ionic liquid n-butylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate, [bpy][BF4], and they showed different reactivity from classical Grignard reagents in organic solvents.     

Carbocation-forming reactions in ionic liquids

A number of trifluoroacetates, mesylates, and triflates have been studied in ionic liquids. Several lines of evidence indicate that all of these substrates react via ionization to give carbocationic intermediates. For example, cumyl trifluoroacetates give mainly the elimination products, but the Hammett rho+ value of -3.74 is consistent with a carbocationic process. The analogous exo-2-phenyl-endo-3-deutero-endo-bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-yl trifluoroacetate gives an elimination where loss of the exo-hydrogen occurs from a cationic intermediate. 1-Adamantyl mesylate and 2-adamantyl triflate react to give simple substitution products derived from capture of 1- and 2-adamantyl carbocations by the residual water in the ionic liquid. The triflate derivative of pivaloin, trans-2-phenylcyclopropylcarbinyl mesylate, 2,2-dimethoxycyclobutyl triflate, the mesylate derivative of diethyl (phenylhydroxymethyl)-thiophosphonate, and Z-1-phenyl-5-trimethylsilyl-3-penten-1-yl trifluoroacetate all give products derived carbocation rearrangements (kDelta processes). anti-7-Norbornenyl mesylate gives products with complete retention of configuration, indicative of involvement of the delocalized 7-norbornenyl cation. 1,6-Methano[10]annulen-11-yl triflate reacts in [BMIM][NTf2] to give 1,6-methano[10]annulen-11-ol, along with naphthalene, an oxidized product derived from loss of trifluoromethanesulfinate ion. Analogous loss of CF3SO2- can be seen in reaction of PhCH(CF3)OTf. Ionic liquids are therefore viable solvents for formation of carbocationic intermediates via kC and kDelta processes.     

Olefin metathesis in ionic liquids

This tutorial review covers the use of ionic liquids as (co)solvents for the olefin metathesis reaction. Olefin metathesis is a simple and effective synthetic tool used to create many compounds which otherwise would require complex multistep syntheses. It is expected that the application of ionic liquids (IL) as well as the development of IL-enabled catalysts and separation techniques will create a green aspect to this important methodology.     

Dissipation mechanisms in ionic liquids

The spreading of ionic liquids on molecularly smooth solid surfaces has been little studied in the past. We show that the spreading behaviors of the two ionic liquids, [EMIM] ethyl sulfate and ECOENG™ 500, are well described by the combined molecular kinetic and hydrodynamic model of de Ruijter, de Coninck, and Oshanin [M.J. de Ruijter, J. de Coninck, G. Oshanin, Langmuir 15 (1999) 2209] with reasonable values for the molecular friction coefficient ζ, molecular displacement λ, and frequency K₀ associated with contact line motion, as well as reasonable values for the microscopic cutoff a associated with hydrodynamic dissipation.     

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.     

Modeling electrokinetics in ionic liquids

Using direct numerical simulations, we provide a thorough study regarding the electrokinetics of ionic liquids. In particular, modified Poisson–Nernst–Planck equations are solved to capture the crowding and overscreening effects characteristic of an ionic liquid. For modeling electrokinetic flows in an ionic liquid, the modified Poisson‐Nernst‐Planck equations are coupled with Navier–Stokes equations to study the coupling of ion transport, hydrodynamics, and electrostatic forces. Specifically, we consider the ion transport between two parallel charged surfaces, charging dynamics in a nanopore, capacitance of electric double‐layer capacitors, electroosmotic flow in a nanochannel, electroconvective instability on a plane ion‐selective surface, and electroconvective flow on a curved ion‐selective surface. We also discuss how crowding and overscreening and their interplay affect the electrokinetic behaviors of ionic liquids in these application problems.