Preliminary Eco- Toxicological Risk Profiles of Ionic Liquids

Preliminary (Eco-)Toxicological Risk Profiles of Ionic Liquids 

Johannes Ranke, Frauke Stock, Reinhold Stdrmann, Kerstin Molter, Jens Hoffmann, Bernd Ondruschka, and Bernd Jastoiff 

Ionic liquids (ILs) are not only viewed as potent designer solvents for organic synthesis, they are also often cited in the context of the recently developed field of green chemistry . The main rationale encountered for calling ILs green is their negligible vapor pressure, which, in comparison to conventional molecular organic solvents, reduces occupational health risks because of the limited exposure via air. Furthermore, the risk of explosions is limited because of the same property. 

Looking more closely at the 12 principles of green chemistry [1] especially concerning the exchange of organic solvents for ILs, two of them especially are touched by this argument  

These two principles specifically address the substances to be used and produced in green chemistry. Just from these principles, some additional questions arise  

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Ranke, J., Stock, F., Stormann, R., Molter, K., Hoffmann, J., Ondmschka, B. and Jastorff B. (2005) Preliminary (eco-) toxicological risk profiles of ionic liquids, in Multiphase Homogeneous Catalysis (eds B. Cornilset al), Wiley-VCH Verlag, Weinheim, p. 588. 

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