Temperature Dependence of the Viscosity and Conductivity of Mildly Functionalized and Non‐Functionalized [Tf2N]− Ionic Liquids

A series of bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ionic liquids (ILs) with classical as well as mildly functionalized cations was prepared and their viscosities and conductivities were determined as a function of the temperature. Both were analyzed with respect to Arrhenius, Litovitz and Vogel–Fulcher–Tammann (VFT) behaviors, as well as in the context of their molecular volume (V_m). Their viscosity and conductivity are highly correlated with V_m/T or related expressions (R²≥0.94). With the knowledge of V_m of new cations, these correlations allow the temperature‐dependent prediction of the viscosity and conductivity of hitherto unknown, non‐ or mildly functionalized ILs with low error bars (0.05 and 0.04 log units, respectively). The influence of the cation structure and mild functionalization on the physical properties was studied with systematically altered cations, in which V_m remained similar. The T_o parameter obtained from the VFT fits was compared to the experimental glass temperature (T_g) and the T_g/T_o ratio for each IL was calculated using both experimental values and Angell’s relationship. With Walden plots we investigated the IL ionicity and interpreted it in relation to the cation effects on the physical IL properties. We checked the validity of these V_m/T relations by also including the recently published variable temperature viscosity and conductivity data of the Al(OR^F)₄]^? ILs with R^F=C(H)(CF₃)₂ (error bars for the prediction: 0.09 and 0.10 log units, respectively).