Organic ionic liquids solvent properties

Chiappe C, Pieraccini D (2005) Ionic liquids solvent properties and organic reactivity. J Phys Org Chem 18 275-297... 

Chiappe, C., Pieraccini, D., Ionic Liquids Solvent Properties and Organic Reactivity, J. Phys. Org. Chem. 2005, 18, 275 297. 

This section attempts to show how ionic liquids are able to modify the kinetic and stereochemical course of organic reactions. It will cover, therefore, only a limited number of reactions and even a more limited number of ionic liquids, mainly those reported in Table 5.IT. Unfortunately, only a few ionic liquids have been used in studies of reactivity and for even fewer are aU of the physicochemical properties required to rationalize organic reactivity known. Sometimes, the data reported in the literature have been revised and reinterpreted in the light of more recent findings on the physicochemical properties of the applied ionic liquids. I express regret if I have misunderstood some results or some interpretations. My aim is merely to promote the discussion about ionic liquids solvent properties in order to increase the understanding of these neoteric solvents and favor the development of more efficient processes. 

As mentioned above, ionic liquids are now available from a number of commercial manufacturers and from many suppliers. Still, one should not forget that an ionic liquid is a quite different product compared to traditional organic solvents, simply because it caimot be easily purified by distillation, due to its very low volatility. This, combined with the fact that small amounts of impurities influence the ionic liquid s properties significantly [9] makes the quality of an ionic liquid a quite important consideration for many applications. 

We had no good way to predict if they would be liquid, but we were lucky that many were. The class of cations that were the most attractive candidates was that of the dialkylimidazolium salts, and our particular favorite was l-ethyl-3-methylimid-azolium [EMIM]. [EMIMJCl mixed with AICI3 made ionic liquids with melting temperatures below room temperature over a wide range of compositions [8]. We determined chemical and physical properties once again, and demonstrated some new battery concepts based on this well behaved new electrolyte. We and others also tried some organic reactions, such as Eriedel-Crafts chemistry, and found the ionic liquids to be excellent both as solvents and as catalysts [9]. It appeared to act like acetonitrile, except that is was totally ionic and nonvolatile. 

Interest in using ionic liquid (IL) media as alternatives to traditional organic solvents in synthesis [1 ], in liquid/liquid separations from aqueous solutions [5-9], and as liquid electrolytes for electrochemical processes, including electrosynthesis, primarily focus on the unique combination of properties exhibited by ILs that differentiate them from molecular solvents. 

Ionic liquids possess a variety of properties that make them desirable as solvents for investigation of electrochemical processes. They often have wide electrochemical potential windows, they have reasonably good electrical conductivity and solvent transport properties, they have wide liquid ranges, and they are able to solvate a wide variety of inorganic, organic, and organometallic species. The liquid ranges of ionic liquids have been discussed in Section 3.1 and their solubility and solvation in... 

Obviously, there are many good reasons to study ionic liquids as alternative solvents in transition metal-catalyzed reactions. Besides the engineering advantage of their nonvolatile natures, the investigation of new biphasic reactions with an ionic catalyst phase is of special interest. The possibility of adjusting solubility properties by different cation/anion combinations permits systematic optimization of the biphasic reaction (with regard, for example, to product selectivity). Attractive options to improve selectivity in multiphase reactions derive from the preferential solubility of only one reactant in the catalyst solvent or from the in situ extraction of reaction intermediates from the catalyst layer. Moreover, the application of an ionic liquid catalyst layer permits a biphasic reaction mode in many cases where this would not be possible with water or polar organic solvents (due to incompatibility with the catalyst or problems with substrate solubility, for example). 

One particular feature of ionic liquids lies in their solvation properties, not only for hydrophobic compounds but also for hydrophilic compounds such as carbohydrates. Park and Kazlauskas reported the regioselective acylation of glucose in 99 % yield and with 93 % selectivity in [MOEMIM][BF4] (MOE = CH3OCH2CH2), values much higher than those obtained in the organic solvents commonly used for this purpose (Entry 18) [22] (Scheme 8.3-4). 

Room temperature ionic liquids arc currently receiving considerable attention as environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional organic solvents in a variety of contexts.144 The ionic liquids have this reputation because of their high stability, inertness and, most importantly, extremely low vapor pressures. Because they are ionic and non-conducting they also possess other unique properties that can influence the yield and outcome of organic transformations. Polymerization in ionic liquids has been reviewed by Kubisa.145 Commonly used ionic liquids are tetra-alkylammonium, tetra-alkylphosphonium, 3-alkyl-l-methylimidazolium (16) or alkyl pyridinium salts (17). Counter-ions are typically PF6 and BF4 though many others are known. 

Significant progress has been made in the application of ionic liquids (ILs) as alternative solvents to C02 capture because of their unique properties such as very low vapour pressure, a broad range of liquid temperatures, excellent thermal and chemical stabilities and selective dissolution of certain organic and inorganic materials. ILs are liquid organic salts at ambient conditions with a cationic part and an anionic part. 

---