Catalytic Applications of Metal Nanoparticles in Imidazolium Ionic Liquids

Self-assembly of ionic liquid (BMI-PF6)-stabilized gold nanoparticles on a silicon surface: chemical and structural aspects

Ultrafine monodisperse gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesized by an elegant sputtering of gold onto 1- n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMI-PF(6)) ionic liquid. It was found that the BMI-PF(6) supramolecular aggregates were loosely coordinated to the gold nanoparticles and were replaceable with thiol molecules. The self-assembly of BMI-PF(6)-stabilized AuNPs onto a (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPS)-functionalized silicon surface in 2D arrays, followed by dodecanethiol (DDT) treatment, have been demonstrated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and contact angle measurements. DDT treatment of tethered AuNPs revealed two types of interactions between AuNPs and the MPS-functionalized surface: (a) AuNPs anchor through Au-S chemisorption linkage resulting in strong immobilization and (b) some of the AuNPs are supported by physisorption, driven by BMI-PF(6). The attachment of these particles remains unchanged with sonication. The replacement of BMI-PF(6) aggregates from physisorbed AuNPs with DDT molecules advances the dilution of their interaction with the MPS-functionalized surface, and they subsequently detach from the silicon surface. The present finding is promising for the immobilization of ionic liquid-stabilized nanoparticles, which is very desirable for electronic and catalytic device fabrication. Additionally, these environmentally friendly AuNPs are expected to replace conventional citrate-stabilized AuNPs.

DOSY technique applied to palladium nanoparticles in ionic liquids

Multinuclear ((1)H, (31)P, (19)F and (11)B) diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) technique has been applied to palladium nanoparticles systems dispersed in ionic liquids (ILs). Even if the nanoparticles themselves cannot be detected through NMR, observation of the solvent (methanol) and the IL ([BMI][PF(6)] or [BMI][NTf(2)]), their diffusion coefficients and their changes in the presence of nanoparticles allow us to draw significant assumptions about the organisation of palladium nanoparticles in the IL. For comparison, the corresponding molecular precursors ([PdCl(2)(cod)] or [Pd(2)(dba)(3)]) have been also studied.

Fabrication of dendritic gold nanoparticles by use of an ionic polymer template

A facile method for the fabrication of dendritic gold nanoparticles (NPs) by use of an ionic polymer template has been developed. In situ generation of an imidazolium-based (cationic) polymer, poly[1-methyl-3-(4-vinylbenzyl)imidazolium], with AuCl4- counteranions is achieved by addition of HAuCl4 into a solution containing poly[1-methyl-3-(4-vinylbenzyl)imidazolium chloride]. Subsequent reduction with NaBH4 in water or in a mixture of ethanol and water affords various NPs depending on the conditions, including large dendritic gold NPs that have been analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). The structures of the dendritic gold NPs were found to depend on the ethanol concentration. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the ionic polymer reveal that the solvent used to deposit the polymer strongly influences its structure and may be correlated to the structure of the resulting NPs.

Disclosure of the imidazolium cation coordination and stabilization mode in ionic liquid stabilized gold(0) nanoparticles

A surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) study of imidazolium ionic liquid stabilized gold(0) nanoparticles (GNPs) furnished previously unknown knowledge about the coordination and stabilization mode of the imidazolium cation. GNPs were prepared by hydrazine reduction of a chloroauric acid solution in 1-triethylene glycol monomethyl ether-3-methylimidazolium methanesulfonate 2 as ether-functionalized room-temperature ionic liquid (RTIL). UV-vis spectroscopy showed the presence of GNP aggregates as absorptions extended to the NIR region. A parallel coordination mode for the imidazolium cation of RTIL 2 on the GNP surface was observed by SERS, which occurred without the simultaneous coordination of the 1-triethylene glycol monomethyl ether-functionality. Instead of this, the ether-functionality was directed away from the GNP surface and acted as steric barrier between the GNPs/GNP aggregates, thus preventing further aggregation. These new insights suggest that the imidazolium cation is responsible for electrosteric stabilization.

Palladium catalyzed Suzuki C-C couplings in an ionic liquid: nanoparticles responsible for the catalytic activity

A new family of functionalized ligands derived from norborn-5-ene-2,3-dicarboxylic anhydride has been used in Suzuki C-C cross-couplings between aryl boronic acids and aryl bromide derivatives in [BMI][PF(6)] (BMI=1-n-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium), using palladium acetate as catalytic precursor. High conversions and yields are obtained when amine ligands containing hydroxy groups are involved. TEM analyses after catalysis show the formation of small nanoparticles, in contrast to the agglomerates observed when nanoparticles are intentionally preformed, with a consequent decrease in the catalytic activity in the latter case. Some tests, including the correlation effect between solvent and ligand, are carried out to try to identify the true nature of the catalyst. All the results obtained suggest that formation of nanoparticles is required to lead to a catalytically active system.

Behavior of Electrogenerated Bases in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids

The reductive electrochemistry of substituted benzophenones in the aprotic room-temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bistriflimide occurs via two consecutive one-electron processes leading to the radical anion and dianion, respectively. The radical anion exhibited electrochemical reversibility at all time-scales whereas the dianion exhibited reversibility at potential sweep rates of >or=10 V s(-1), collectively indicating the absence of strong ion-paring with the RTIL cation. In contrast, reduction in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bistriflimide is complicated by proton-transfer from the [Bmim] cation. At low potential sweep rates, reduction involves a single two-electron process characteristic of either an electrochemical, chemical, electrochemical (ECE) or disproportion-type (DISP1) mechanism. The rate of radical anion protonation in [Bmim] is governed by basicity and conforms to the Hammett free-energy relation. At higher potential sweep rates in [Bmim][NTf2], reduction occurs via two consecutive one-electron processes, giving rise to the partially reversible generation of the radical anion and the irreversible generation of the dianion, respectively. Also, the redox potentials for the reversible parent/radical anion couples were found to be a linear function of Hammett substituent constants in both RTIL media and exhibited effectively equivalent solvent-dependent reaction constants, which are similar to those for reduction in polar molecular solvents such as acetonitrile or alcohols.

Ionic Liquids for Soft Functional Materials with Carbon Nanotubes

A serendipitous finding that ionic liquids gel with carbon nanotubes has opened a new possibility of ionic liquids as modifiers for carbon nanotubes. Upon being ground into ionic liquids, carbon nanotube bundles are untangled, and the resultant fine bundles form a network structure. This is due to the possible specific interaction between the imidazolium ion component and the pi-electronic nanotube surface. The resultant gelatinous materials, consisting of highly electroconductive nanowires and fluid electrolytes, can be utilized for a wide variety of electrochemical applications, such as sensors, capacitors, and actuators. Ionic liquids allow for noncovalent and covalent modifications of carbon nanotubes and fabrication of polymer composites with enhanced physical properties. The processing of carbon nanotubes with ionic liquids is not accompanied by the disruption of the pi-conjugated nanotube structure and does not require solvents; therefore it can readily be scaled up. This article focuses on new aspects of ionic liquids for designer soft materials based on carbon nanotubes.

Solvation of Sodium Chloride in the 1-Butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium Bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide Ionic Liquid: A Molecular Dynamics Study

We report molecular dynamics studies on the solvation of sodium chloride in the 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ionic liquid ([BMI][Tf2N] IL). We first consider the potential of mean force for dissociating a single Na+Cl- ion pair, showing that the latter prefers to be undissociated rather than dissociated (by ca. 9 kcal/mol), with a free energy barrier of ca. 5 kcal/mol (at d approximately 5.2 A) for the association process. The preference for Na+Cl- association is also observed from a 100 ns molecular dynamics simulation of a concentrated solution, where the Na+Cl- ions tend to form oligomers and microcrystals in the IL. Conversely, the simulation of Na13Cl14- and Na14Cl13+ cubic microcrystals (with, respectively, Cl- and Na+ at the vertices) does not lead to dissolution in the IL. Among these, Na14Cl13+ is found to be better solvated than Na13Cl14-, mainly due to the stronger Na+...Tf2N- interactions as compared to the Cl-...BMI+ interactions at the vertices of the cube. We finally consider the solid/liquid interface between the 100 face of NaCl and the IL, revealing that, in spite of its polar nature, the crystal surface is solvated by the less polar IL components (CF3(Tf2N) and butyl(BMI) groups) rather than by the polar ones (O(Tf2N) and imidazolium(BMI) ring). Specific ordering at the interface is described for both Tf2N- anions and BMI+ cations. In the first IL layer, the ions are rather parallel to the surface, whereas in the second "layer" they are more perpendicular. A similar IL structure is found at the surface of the all-neutral Na0Cl0 solid analogue, confirming that the solvation of the crystal is rather "apolar", due to the mismatch between the IL and the crystal ions. Several comparisons with water, methanol, or different BMI+-based ILs as solvents are presented, allowing us to better understand the specificity of the ionic liquid-NaCl interactions.

Synthesis and characterization of nickel nanoparticles dispersed in imidazolium ionic liquids

The diameter and size-distribution of Ni nanoparticles prepared by the decomposition of [bis(1,5-cyclooctadiene)nickel(0)] organometallic precursor dissolved in 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium N-bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) amide ionic liquids depend on the length of the alkyl side-chain of the imidazolium ring. The increase of the organization range order of the ionic liquid that increases with that of the alkyl side-chain (from n-butyl to n-hexadecyl) induces the formation of nanoparticles with a smaller diameter and size-distribution. The cubic fcc Ni nanoparticles with 4.9 +/- 0.9 to 5.9 +/- 1.4 nm in mean diameter and monomodal size-distribution thus prepared are probably composed of a small cap layer of NiO around a core of Ni metal. The contribution of the oxide layer also depends on the medium i.e. the metal oxide ratio increases in salts containing four to eight carbons on their side-chains and then decreases as the number of carbons increases. The Ni nanoparticles dispersed in the ionic liquids are active catalysts for the hydrogenation of olefins under relatively mild reaction conditions.