Proton speciation in ambient-temperature chloroaluminate ionic liquids

Ionic liquids: a brief history

There is no doubt that ionic liquids have become a major subject of study for modern chemistry. We have become used to ever more publications in the field each year, although there is some evidence that this is beginning to plateau at approximately 3500 papers each year. They have been the subject of several major reviews and books, dealing with different applications and aspects of their behaviours. In this article, I will show a little of how interest in ionic liquids grew and developed.

Glucose transformation to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in acidic ionic liquid: A quantum mechanical study

Isomerization and transformation of glucose and fructose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in both ionic liquids (ILs) and water has been studied by the reference interaction site model self-consistent field spatial electron density distribution (RISM-SCF-SEDD) method coupled with ab initio electronic structure theory, namely coupled cluster single, double, and perturbative triple excitation (CCSD(T)). Glucose isomerization to fructose has been investigated via cyclic and open chain mechanisms. In water, the calculations support the cyclic mechanism of glucose isomerization; with the predicted activation free energy is 23.8 kcal mol(-1) at experimental condition. Conversely, open ring mechanism is more favorable in ILs with the energy barrier is 32.4 kcal mol(-1) . Moreover, the transformation of fructose into HMF via cyclic mechanism is reasonable; the calculated activation barriers are 16.0 and 21.5 kcal mol(-1) in aqueous and ILs solutions, respectively. The solvent effects of ILs could be explained by the decomposition of free energies and radial distribution functions of solute-solvent that are produced by RISM-SCF-SEDD.

Spectroscopic determination of relative Brønsted acidity as a predictor of reactivity in aprotic ionic liquids

A simple titration technique utilizing pyridine as a FTIR spectroscopy probe is demonstrated to successfully predict relative Brønsted acid-limited reaction rates in different ionic liquid (IL) environments. Relative acidity is shown to vary across three aprotic ILs in a manner that is specific to the particular acid-IL pairing.

Solvation Structure and Transport of Acidic Protons in Ionic Liquids: A First-principles Simulation Study

Ab initio simulations of a single molecule of HCl in liquid dimethyl imidazolium chloride [dmim][Cl] show that the acidic proton exists as a symmetric, linear ClHCl(-) species. Details of the solvation structure around this molecule are given. The proton-transfer process was investigated by applying a force along the antisymmetric stretch coordinate until the molecule broke. Changes in the free energy and local solvation structure during this process were investigated. In the reaction mechanism identified, a free chloride approaches the proton from the side. As the original ClHCl(-) distorts and the incoming chloride forms a new bond to the proton, one of the original chlorine atoms is expelled and a new linear molecule is formed.

Chloroaluminate ionic liquids as reagents for isolating soluble hexanuclear zirconium halide cluster compounds

Ambient-temperature chloroaluminate molten salts, mixtures of aluminum trichloride (AlCl3) and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (ImCl), have been used as solvents to excise and isolate centered hexanuclear zirconium halide clusters from their solid-state precursors. Cluster compounds synthesized via high-temperature reactions, KZr6CCl15 and Li2Zr6MnCl15, were dissolved into basic molten salts at 100-110 degrees C. The C-centered cluster compound, Im4Zr6CCl18, was isolated in 70% yield, and the Mn-centered cluster compound, Im5Zr6MnCl18.C7H(8).2CH3CN, was isolated in 54% yield. Im5Zr6BCl18 is efficiently oxidized by ferrocenium tetrafluoroborate, and one-electron-oxidized B-centered cluster, [(Zr6B)Cl18]4-, was isolated in 90% yield as the salt Im4Zr6BCl18.

CHEMICALAPPLICATIONS OFNEUTRONSCATTERING

Neutron scattering represents a versatile technique for chemists, as it explores the structure and dynamics of materials at the atomic scale. This review gives an outline of the neutron scattering formalism and describes diffraction and inelastic and quasielastic scattering techniques. Applications to chemistry are illustrated by examples from recent work on crystalline and liquid organic materials, including heterogeneous systems, bulk polymers and polymer solutions. There is particular emphasis on systems where hydrogen bonding plays a significant role. With more powerful sources and improved instrumentation in prospect, there is considerable potential for future extension of these methods to increasingly complex materials.

Gutmann Acceptor Properties of LiCl, NaCl, and KCl Buffered Ambient-Temperature Chloroaluminate Ionic Liquids

Gutmann acceptor numbers have been determined using (31)P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for AlCl(3)/EMIC melts as well as LiCl, NaCl, and KCl neutral buffered melts. In AlCl(3)/EMIC melts, where EMIC is 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, the change in Gutmann acceptor number as a function of the AlCl(3):EMIC melt ratio is attributed to an equilibrium between a monoadduct of triethylphosphine oxide.AlCl(3) and a diadduct of triethylphosphine oxide.2AlCl(3). Observed acceptor numbers for the neutral buffered melts appear linear with respect to the melt's initial mole ratio of AlCl(3):EMIC prior to buffering. The lithium cation appears to be the most Lewis acidic alkali metal cation followed by the sodium and potassium cations. Possible reasons for the change in acceptor number as a function of changing alkali metal cation concentration are presented.