Intermolecular Interactions and Dynamics of Room Temperature Ionic Liquids That Have Silyl- and Siloxy-Substituted Imidazolium Cations

Thermodynamic Study of Alkylsilane and Alkylsiloxane-Based Ionic Liquids

The thermodynamic properties of ionic liquids (ILs) bearing alkylsilane and alkylsiloxane chains, as well as their carbon-based analogs, were investigated. Effects such as the replacement of carbon atoms by silicon atoms, the introduction of a siloxane linkage, and the length of the alkylsilane chain were explored. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to study the thermal and phase behavior (glass transition temperature, melting point, enthalpy and entropy of fusion, and thermal stability). Heat capacity was obtained by high-precision drop calorimetry and differential scanning microcalorimetry. The volatility and cohesive energy of these ILs were investigated via the Knudsen effusion method coupled with a quartz crystal microbalance (KEQCM). Gas phase energetics and structure were also studied to obtain the gas phase heat capacity as well as the energy profile associated with the rotation of the IL side chain. The computational study suggested the existence of an intramolecular interaction in the alkylsiloxane-based IL. The obtained glass transition temperatures seem to follow the trend of chain flexibility. An increase of the alkylsilane chain leads to a seemingly linear increase in molar heat capacity. A regular increment of 30 J·K-1·mol-1 in the molar heat capacity was found for the replacement of carbon by silicon in the IL alkyl chain. The alkylsilane series was revealed to be slightly more volatile than its carbon-based analogs. A further increase in volatility was found for the alkylsiloxane-based IL, which is likely related to the decrease of the cohesive energy due to the existence of an intramolecular interaction between the siloxane linkage and the imidazolium headgroup. The use of Si in the IL structure is a suitable way to significantly reduce the IL's viscosity while preserving its large liquid range (low melting point and high thermal stability) and low volatilities.

Unravelling free volume in branched-cation ionic liquids based on silicon

The branching of ionic liquid cation sidechains utilizing silicon as the backbone was explored and it was found that this structural feature leads to fluids with remarkably low density and viscosity. The relatively low liquid densities suggest a large free volume in these liquids. Argon solubility was measured using a precise saturation method to probe the relative free volumes. Argon molar solubilities were slightly higher in ionic liquids with alkylsilane and siloxane groups within the cation, compared to carbon-based branched groups. The anion size, however, showed by far the dominant effect on argon solubility. Thermodynamic solvation parameters were derived from the solubility data and the argon solvation environment was modelled utilizing the polarizable CL&Pol force field. Semiquantitative analysis was in agreement with trends established from the experimental data. The results of this investigation demonstrate design principles for targeted ionic liquids when optimisation for the free volume is required, and demonstrate the utility of argon as a simple, noninteracting probe. As more ionic liquids find their way into industrial processes of scale, these findings are important for their utilisation in the capture of any gaseous solute, gas separation, or in processes involving the transformation of gases or small molecules.

The branching of ionic liquid cation sidechains utilizing silicon as the backbone was explored and it was found that this structural feature leads to fluids with remarkably low density and viscosity.

Targeted modifications in ionic liquids - from understanding to design

Ionic liquids are extremely versatile and continue to find new applications in academia as well as industry. This versatility is rooted in the manifold of possible ion types, ion combinations, and ion variations. However, to fully exploit this versatility, it is imperative to understand how the properties of ionic liquids arise from their constituents. In this work, we discuss targeted modifications as a powerful tool to provide understanding and to enable design. A 'targeted modification' is a deliberate change in the structure of an ionic liquid. This includes chemical changes in an experiment as well as changes to the parameterisation in a computer simulation. In any case, such a change must be purposeful to isolate what is of interest, studying, as far as is possible, only one concept at a time. The concepts can then be used as design elements. However, it is often found that several design elements interact with each other - sometimes synergistically, and other times antagonistically. Targeted modifications are a systematic way of navigating these overlaps. We hope this paper shows that understanding ionic liquids requires experimentalists and theoreticians to join forces and provides a tool to tackle the difficult transition from understanding to design.

Microstructural and Dynamical Heterogeneities in Ionic Liquids

Ionic liquids (ILs) are a special category of molten salts solely composed of ions with varied molecular symmetry and charge delocalization. The versatility in combining varied cation-anion moieties and in functionalizing ions with different atoms and molecular groups contributes to their peculiar interactions ranging from weak isotropic associations to strong, specific, and anisotropic forces. A delicate interplay among intra- and intermolecular interactions facilitates the formation of heterogeneous microstructures and liquid morphologies, which further contributes to their striking dynamical properties. Microstructural and dynamical heterogeneities of ILs lead to their multifaceted properties described by an inherent designer feature, which makes ILs important candidates for novel solvents, electrolytes, and functional materials in academia and industrial applications. Due to a massive number of combinations of ion pairs with ion species having distinct molecular structures and IL mixtures containing varied molecular solvents, a comprehensive understanding of their hierarchical structural and dynamical quantities is of great significance for a rational selection of ILs with appropriate properties and thereafter advancing their macroscopic functionalities in applications. In this review, we comprehensively trace recent advances in understanding delicate interplay of strong and weak interactions that underpin their complex phase behaviors with a particular emphasis on understanding heterogeneous microstructures and dynamics of ILs in bulk liquids, in mixtures with cosolvents, and in interfacial regions.

Optical Kerr effect spectroscopy of CS2 in monocationic and dicationic ionic liquids: insights into the intermolecular interactions in ionic liquids

A comparative study of the intermolecular dynamics of CS₂ in monocationic and dicationic ionic liquids (ILs) was performed using optical heterodyne-detected Raman-induced Kerr effect spectroscopy (OHD-RIKES). The reduced spectral densities (RSDs) of mixtures of CS₂ in 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethane)sulfonyl]amide ([C_nC₁im][NTf₂] for n = 3-5) and 1,2n-bis(3-methylimidazolium-1-yl) alkane bis[(trifluoromethane)sulfonyl]amide ([(C₁im)₂C_2n][NTf₂]₂ for n = 3-5) were investigated as a function of concentration at 295 K. An additivity model was used to obtain the CS₂ contribution to the RSD of a mixture in the 0-200 cm^-1 region. One of the aims of this study is to show how CS₂ can be used as a probe of intermolecular/interionic interactions in ILs. The concentrations were chosen such that the CS₂-to-imidazolium ring mole fraction of a mixture with [(C₁im)₂C_2n][NTf₂]₂ (DIL(2n)) is the same as that of a mixture with [C_nC₁im][NTf₂] (MIL(n)). As found previously for CS₂ in monocationic ILs, the intermolecular spectrum of CS₂ in dicationic ILs is lower in frequency and narrower than that of neat CS₂. The new result is that the intermolecular spectrum of CS₂ is higher in frequency in DIL(2n) than in the corresponding MIL(n), indicating that CS₂ molecules experience a stiffer potential in dicationic ILs than in monocationic ILs. The intermolecular dynamics of CS₂ being higher in frequency in DIL(2n) than in MIL(n) is consistent with recent molecular dynamics simulations (Lynden-Bell and Quitevis, J. Chem. Phys., 2018, 148, 193844) that show the stiffer potential is the result of greater confinement of CS₂ in DIL(2n) than in MIL(n). We also show in this study how effects due to dilution and the intermolecular potential seen by a solute molecule in solution are unraveled.

Comparative study of the intermolecular dynamics of imidazolium-based ionic liquids with linear and branched alkyl chains: OHD-RIKES measurements

This article describes a comparative study of the low-frequency (0-450 cm^-1) Kerr spectra of the branched 1-(iso-alkyl)-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide ([(N - 2)mC_N-1C₁im][NTf₂] with N = 3-7) ionic liquids (ILs) and that of the linear 1-(n-alkyl)-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide ([C_NC₁im][NTf₂] with N = 2-7) ILs. The spectra were obtained by use of femtosecond optical heterodyne-detected Raman-induced Kerr effect spectroscopy (OHD-RIKES). The intermolecular spectrum of a branched IL is similar to that of a linear IL that is of the same alkyl chain length rather than of the same number of carbon atoms in the alkyl chain. This similarity and the lack of a correlation of the first spectral moments and widths of the intermolecular spectra with chain length is mainly attributed to the increase in the dispersion contribution to the total molar cohesive energy being compensated by stretching of the ionic network due to the increasing size of the nonpolar domains, which is dependent only on the length of the alkyl chain.

Ionic Liquid Crystals: Versatile Materials

This Review covers the recent developments (2005-2015) in the design, synthesis, characterization, and application of thermotropic ionic liquid crystals. It was designed to give a comprehensive overview of the "state-of-the-art" in the field. The discussion is focused on low molar mass and dendrimeric thermotropic ionic mesogens, as well as selected metal-containing compounds (metallomesogens), but some references to polymeric and/or lyotropic ionic liquid crystals and particularly to ionic liquids will also be provided. Although zwitterionic and mesoionic mesogens are also treated to some extent, emphasis will be directed toward liquid-crystalline materials consisting of organic cations and organic/inorganic anions that are not covalently bound but interact via electrostatic and other noncovalent interactions.

Combined effect of ether and siloxane substituents on imidazolium ionic liquids

The combined effect of ether and siloxane substituents on imidazolium cations helps overcome the Coulombic attraction, van der Waals forces, size factor and conformational degree of freedom, and exerts an impact on viscosity, density and thermal properties of ionic liquids.

An OHD-RIKES and simulation study comparing a benzylmethylimidazolium ionic liquid with an equimolar mixture of dimethylimidazolium and benzene

The Kerr spectra of a mixture of benzene and an ionic liquid are compared to the corresponding benzylated ionic liquid and found to be surprisingly similar.

Probing molecular interaction in ionic liquids by low frequency spectroscopy: Coulomb energy, hydrogen bonding and dispersion forces

Low vibrational spectroscopy provides detailed information on the strength and type of interaction and their influence on the properties of ionic liquids.