Quality Aspects and Other Questions Related to Commercial Ionic Liquid Production

Quality Aspects and Other Questions Related to Commercial Ionic Liquid Production 

From Section 2.1 it has become very clear that the synthesis of an ionic liquid is in general quite simple organic chemistry, while the preparation of an ionic liquid of a certain quality requires some know-how and experience. Since neither distillation nor crystallization can be used to purify ionic liquids after their synthesis (due to their nonvolatility and low melting points), maximum care has to be taken before and during the ionic liquid synthesis to obtain the desired quality. 

Historically, the know-how to synthesize and handle ionic liquids has been treated somehow like a holy grail . Up to the mid-1990s, indeed, only a small number of specialized industrial and academic research groups were able to prepare and 

The introduction of the more hydrolysis-stable tetrafluoroborate [2] and hexaflu-orophosphate systems [3], and especially the development of their synthesis by means of metathesis from alkali salts [4], can be regarded as a first key step towards commercial ionic liquid production. 

However, it still took its time. When the authors founded Solvent Innovation [5] in November 1999, the commercial availability of ionic liquids was still very limited. Only a small number of systems could be purchased from Sigma-Aldrich, in quantities of up to 5 g [6]. 

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Volkov, A.V., Korneeva, G. A. Tereshchenko, G.F. (2008). Orj nic Solvent Nano-Filtration Prospects and Application, Rmssuot Chem. Reo., TJ (11), pp. 983-993 Wagner, M Hilgers, C. (2008). Quality Aspects and Other Questions Related to Commercial Ionic Liquid Production. In Ionic Liquids in Synthesis, P. Wasserscheid T. Welton (Eds.), Vol. 1, p. 27-28, Wiley -VCH Verlag GmbH Co. KGaA, Weinheim, ISBN-13 978-1 20-4087-0 (e-book)... 

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