Temperature-Driven Mixing-Demixing Behavior of Binary Mixtures of the Ionic Liquid Choline Bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide and Water

Adsorption kinetics and solubilisation of ciprofloxacin in quaternary ammonium-based surface-active compounds: experimental and computational study

The adsorption and aggregation of amphiphiles at different solvent interfaces are of great scientific and technological importance. In this study, interfacial tension measurements of surface-active compounds-ionic liquid 2-dodecyl-2,2dimethylethanolammonium bromide (12Cho.Br) and cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-were conducted both in the absence and presence of ciprofloxacin (CIP). Equilibrium interfacial tension (EIFT) measurements and conductivity data demonstrate the effect of CIP on the critical micellar concentration and surface excess concentration of 12Cho.Br and CTAB. Additionally, dynamic interfacial tension (DIFT) measurements were performed to compare the interfacial tension of pure 12Cho.Br and CTAB solutions, as well as those in the presence of the drug (with and without 0.3% acetic acid), as a function of time. The DIFT analysis revealed that the adsorption of 12Cho.Br and CTAB at the air-water interface followed a mixed diffusion-adsorption controlled mechanism. The adsorption processes of 12Cho.Br and CTAB molecules were studied over short time intervals (t → 0) and longer time intervals (t → ∞). The adsorption behaviour was correlated with concentration and the presence of energy barriers. In the presence of CIP, the diffusion coefficient was compared to that of the pure 12Cho.Br and CTAB systems to assess its effect on adsorption and to validate the participation of CIP in DIFT relaxations. Additionally, DIFT measurements were employed to investigate CIP solubility in different SAC systems. Data from the relaxation profiles across a range of concentrations were used to determine the solubility limit of the drug molecules. The solubility data obtained from DIFT correlates strongly with the UV spectroscopy results. Furthermore, DFT calculations provide insights into the frontier orbital structures and physicochemical parameters of complex formations.

Phase transitions of choline dihydrogen phosphate: A vibrational spectroscopy and periodic DFT study

Choline dihydrogen phosphate, [Chol][H2PO4], is a proton-conducting ionic plastic crystal exhibiting a complicated sequence of phase transitions. Here, we address the argument in the literature around the thermal properties of [Chol][H2PO4] using Raman and infrared microspectroscopy. The known structure of the low-temperature crystal, which contains the anti-conformer of [Chol]+ and hydrogen-bonded dimers of anions, was used to do periodic density functional theory calculations of the vibrational frequencies. Raman spectra indicate that the solid-solid transition at 20 °C is linked to a conformational change to the gauche [Chol] conformer with a concurrent local rearrangement of the anions. The distinct bands of lattice modes in the low-frequency range of the Raman spectra vanish at the 20 °C transition. Given the ease with which metastable crystals can be produced, Raman mappings demonstrate that a sample of [Chol][H2PO4] at ambient temperature can contain a combination of anti- and gauche conformers. Heating to 120 °C causes continuous changes in the local environment of anions rather than melting as suggested by a recent calorimetric investigation of [Chol][H2PO4]. The monotonic change in vibrational spectra is consistent with earlier observations of a very small entropy of fusion and no abrupt jump in the temperature dependence of ionic conductivity along the phase transitions of [Chol][H2PO4].

Efficient method for in situ agitation of liquids directly inside NMR spectrometer

The objective of the method is to allow agitation and fast homogenization of liquid systems in NMR tubes, directly inside the NMR spectrometer. The setup makes it possible to record spectra of samples that are macroscopically not stable, as dispersions of large particles. It makes also possible to fasten the homogeneization of liquid during a reaction or a phase transition. In the present paper, the method has been evaluated using homogeneous liquid extraction (HLLE). This configuration can also be used to introduce gases in different systems to perform various types of experiments. The set up consists in a Teflon tube inserted in the NMR tube bringing gas that yields agitation by bubbling. The gas flow is tuned using an electronically operated valve connected to gas line and to the NMR console. The method details how to reach proper homogenization without any perturbation, as liquid leaks.•An easy method for agitation of liquids inside NMR spectrometers.•The set up can be used for the insertion of gases in the NMR tube inside the spectrometer.•The method allows the study of the mixing of biphasic systems by NMR techniques.

Expeditious Discovery of Small-Molecule Thermoresponsive Ionic Liquid Materials: A Review

Ionic liquids (ILs) are a class of low-melting molten salts (<100 °C) constituted entirely of ions, and their research has gained tremendous attention in line with their remarkably growing applications (>124,000 publications dated 30 August 2023 from the Web of ScienceTM). In this review, we first briefly discussed the recent developments and unique characteristics of ILs and zwitterionic liquids (ZILs). Compared to molecular solvents and other conventional organic compounds, (zwitter) ionic liquids carry negligible volatility and are potentially recyclable and reusable. For structures, both ILs and ZILs can be systematically tailor-designed and engineered and are synthetically fine-tunable. As such, ionic liquids, including chiral, supported, task-specific ILs, have been widely used as powerful ionic solvents as well as valuable additives and catalysts for many chemical reactions. Moreover, ILs have demonstrated their value for use as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) enhancers for DNA amplification, chemoselective artificial olfaction for targeted VOC analysis, and recognition-based affinity extraction. As the major focus of this review, we extensively discussed that small-molecule thermoresponsive ILs (TILs) and ZILs (zwitterionic TILs) are new types of smart materials and can be expeditiously discovered through the structure and phase separation (SPS) relationship study by the combinatorial approach. Using this SPS platform developed in our laboratory, we first depicted the rapid discovery of N,N-dialkylcycloammonium and 1,3,4-trialkyl-1,2,3-triazolium TILs that concomitantly exhibited LCST (lower critical solution temperature) phase transition in water and displayed biochemically attractive Tc values. Both smart IL materials were suited for applications to proteins and other biomolecules. Zwitterionic TILs are ZILs whose cations and anions are tethered together covalently and are thermoresponsive to temperature changes. These zwitterionic TIL materials can serve as excellent extraction solvents, through temperature change, for biomolecules such as proteins since they differ from the common TIL problems often associated with unwanted ion exchanges during extractions. These unique structural characteristics of zwitterionic TIL materials greatly reduce and may avoid the denaturation of proteins under physiological conditions. Lastly, we argued that both rational structural design and combinatorial library synthesis of small-molecule TIL materials should take into consideration the important issues of their cytotoxicity and biosafety to the ecosystem, potentially causing harm to the environment and directly endangering human health. Finally, we would concur that before precise prediction and quantitative simulation of TIL structures can be realized, combinatorial chemistry may be the most convenient and effective technology platform to discover TIL expeditiously. Through our rational TIL design and combinatorial library synthesis and screening, we have demonstrated its power to discover novel chemical structures of both TILs and zwitterionic TILs. Undoubtedly, we will continue developing new small-molecule TIL structures and studying their applications related to other thermoresponsive materials.

Thermoresponsive Ionic Liquid/Water Mixtures: From Nanostructuring to Phase Separation

The thermodynamics, structures, and applications of thermoresponsive systems, consisting primarily of water solutions of organic salts, are reviewed. The focus is on organic salts of low melting temperatures, belonging to the ionic liquid (IL) family. The thermo-responsiveness is represented by a temperature driven transition between a homogeneous liquid state and a biphasic state, comprising an IL-rich phase and a solvent-rich phase, divided by a relatively sharp interface. Demixing occurs either with decreasing temperatures, developing from an upper critical solution temperature (UCST), or, less often, with increasing temperatures, arising from a lower critical solution temperature (LCST). In the former case, the enthalpy and entropy of mixing are both positive, and enthalpy prevails at low T. In the latter case, the enthalpy and entropy of mixing are both negative, and entropy drives the demixing with increasing T. Experiments and computer simulations highlight the contiguity of these phase separations with the nanoscale inhomogeneity (nanostructuring), displayed by several ILs and IL solutions. Current applications in extraction, separation, and catalysis are briefly reviewed. Moreover, future applications in forward osmosis desalination, low-enthalpy thermal storage, and water harvesting from the atmosphere are discussed in more detail.

Structural Engineering and Optimization of Zwitterionic Salts for Expeditious Discovery of Thermoresponsive Materials

This work reported the discovery of N-triflimide (NTf)-based zwitter-ionic liquids (ZILs) that exhibit UCST-type phase transitions in water, and their further structural optimization in fine-tuning polarity to ultimately afford newfangled thermosensitive materials carrying attractive and biocompatible T_c values that clearly demonstrated the true value of the tunability of ZIL structure. This research established that with non-aromatic, acyclic ZILs as small-molecule thermoresponsive materials, their mixing and de-mixing with water triggered by temperatures are entirely reversible.

Phase separation property of a hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent-water binary mixture: A molecular dynamics simulation study

Over the past decade, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have earned applicability in numerous fields as non-flammable, non-volatile, and greener alternatives to conventional organic solvents. In a first of its kind, a hydrophobic DES composed of a 1:1 mixture of oleic acid and lidocaine was recently reported, possessing a lower critical solution temperature in water. The thermoreversible phase property of this DES-water system was utilized to sequester out dye molecules from their aqueous solutions. In this article, we explore the phase separation phenomena for this particular DES in its aqueous solution using an all-atom molecular dynamics simulation. A 50 wt. % solution of the DES in water was studied at three different temperatures (253, 293, and 313 K) to understand the various molecular interactions that dictate the phase segregation property of these systems. In this work, we have elaborated on the importance of hydrogen bonding interactions and the non-bonding interactions between the components and the competition between the two that leads to phase separation. Overall, we observe that the increase in unfavorable interaction between the DES components and water with increasing temperature determines the phase separation behavior. We have also studied the modification in the dynamical properties of water molecules close to the phase boundary. Such molecular insights would be beneficial for designing novel solvent systems that can be used as extraction-based media in industries.

Coordination of the Co2+ and Ni2+ Ions in Tf2N- Based Ionic Liquids: A Combined X-ray Absorption and Molecular Dynamics Study

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) have been combined to study the coordination of the Co2+ and Ni2+ ions in ionic liquids (ILs) based on the bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([Tf2N]-) anion and having different organic cations, namely, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium ([C4mim]+), 1,8-bis(3-methylimidazolium-1-yl)octane ([C8(mim)2]2+), N,N,N-trimethyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium ([choline]+), and butyltrimethylammonium ([BTMA]+). Co and Ni K-edge XAS data have been collected on 0.1 mol L-1 Co(Tf2N)2 and Ni(Tf2N)2 solutions and on the metallic salts. MD simulations have been carried out to obtain structural information on the metal ion coordination. The analysis of the extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra of the solutions has been carried out based on the atomistic description provided by MD, and the studied ILs have been found to be able to dissolve both the Co(Tf2N)2 and Ni(Tf2N)2 salts giving rise to a different structural arrangement around the metal ions as compared to the solid state. The combined EXAFS and MD results showed that the Co2+ and Ni2+ ions are surrounded by a first solvation shell formed by six [Tf2N]- anions, each coordinating in a monodentate fashion by means of the oxygen atoms. The nature of the IL organic cation has little or no influence on the overall spatial arrangement of the [Tf2N]- anions, so that stable octahedral complexes of the type [M(Tf2N)6]4- (M = Co, Ni) have been observed in all the investigated ILs.

Discovering Low Toxicity Ionic Liquids for Saccharomyces cerevisiae by Using the Agar Well Diffusion Test

Ionic liquids (ILs) are new solvents widely used in many technologies due to their unique and advantageous physicochemical properties. In biotechnological applications, ILs can be used along with microorganisms such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Due to the enormous number of ILs that can be synthesized through the combination of different anions and cations, it is necessary to have an easy and quick tool for the preliminary screening of their biocompatibility for being used in biotechnological applications. In this work, the agar well diffusion test was successfully applied as a rapid method to identify toxic/nontoxic ILs toward S. cerevisiae. Sixty-three ILs containing a diverse set of cations and anions were used. Through this methodology, nine fully biocompatible ILs toward S. cerevisiae were identified, including: [Bmim+] [NO3−], [HOPmim+] [NO3−], [Bmim+] [NTf2−], [N8,8,8,1+] [NTf2−], [S2,2,2+] [NTf2−], [EMPyr+] [NTf2−], [BMPi+] [NTf2−], [Moxa+] [MeSO4−] and [Chol+] [H2PO4−]. The analysis of the results also provides preliminary rules to enable the design of biocompatible ILs with S. cerevisiae. In this context, the toxicity was mainly determined by the cation nature although some anions can also display a strong influence on the IL biocompatibility as the bistriflimide anion. Besides, it was observed that an increase in the alkyl chain length of cations, such as imidazolium or pyridinium, involves an increase in the IL toxicity.

NH3 absorption in Brønsted acidic imidazolium- and ammonium-based ionic liquids

The Brønsted ionic liquids, consisting of sulfo and carboxy groups, absorbed larger amounts of NH₃ than the nonfunctionalized ionic liquids. The spectroscopic analyses indicated that the Brønsted ionic liquids absorbed NH₃ physically and chemically.

Highly Efficient and Selective Dissolution Separation of Fission Products by an Ionic Liquid [Hbet][Tf2N]: A New Approach to Spent Nuclear Fuel Recycling

Here, we propose the use of carboxyl-functionalized ionic liquid, [Hbet][Tf₂N], to separate the fission products from spent nuclear fuels. This innovative method allows the selective dissolution of neutron poisons, lanthanides oxide, as well as some fission products with high yield, leaving most of the UO₂ matrix and minor actinides behind in the spent nuclear fuel and accomplishing the actinides recovery as a group. Water-saturated [Hbet][Tf₂N] can dissolve lanthanides oxide from simulated spent nuclear fuel with a dissolution ratio of 100% at 40 °C. However, the dissolution of uranium is almost negligible (<1%) under the same conditions. This big difference in dissolution provides a novel separation approach to spent nuclear fuel recycling and may open new perspectives for spent nuclear fuel reprocessing. The recovery of Nd and U from metal-loaded ionic liquids and the recyclability of the ionic liquid [Hbet][Tf₂N] have also been investigated. Furthermore, a U/ x value related to the lattice energy U of metal compound M _xO _y is used to elaborate the solubility. This work represents the first case for efficient fission products removal by selective dissolution, avoiding the complete dissolution of spent nuclear fuel, the producing of the large high-level radioactive waste, and reducing environmental hazards.

Cationic clustering influences the phase behaviour of ionic liquids

“Unlike charges attract, but like charges repel”. This conventional wisdom has been recently challenged for ionic liquids. It could be shown that like-charged ions attract each other despite the powerful opposing electrostatic forces. In principle, cooperative hydrogen bonding between ions of like-charge can overcome the repulsive Coulomb interaction while pushing the limits of chemical bonding. The key challenge of this solvation phenomenon is to establish design principles for the efficient formation of clusters of like-charged ions in ionic liquids. This is realised here for a set of well-suited ionic liquids including the same hydrophobic anion but different cations all equipped with hydroxyethyl groups for possible H-bonding. The formation of H-bonded cationic clusters can be controlled by the delocalization of the positive charge on the cations. Strongly localized charge results in cation-anion interaction, delocalized charge leads to the formation of cationic clusters. For the first time we can show, that the cationic clusters influence the properties of ILs. ILs comprising these clusters can be supercooled and form glasses. Crystalline structures are obtained only, if the ILs are dominantly characterized by the attraction between opposite-charged ions resulting in conventional ion pairs. That may open a new path for controlling glass formation and crystallization. The glass temperatures and the phase transitions of the ILs are observed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy.

Hydrophilic Ionic Liquid Mixtures of Weakly and Strongly Coordinating Anions with and without Water

With the aid of ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, we investigate an ionic liquid (IL) mixture composed of three components 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium [C₄C₁Im]⁺, tetrafluoroborate [BF₄]^-, and chloride [Cl]^- without and with water. In the pure IL mixture, we observe an already complex network of interactions between cations and anions, and addition of water to the system even extends the complexity. Observed number integrals show that the coordination number between cations and anions is reduced in the system with water compared to that in the pure system. Further studies show that the Coulombic network of the strongly coordinating anion [Cl]^- is disturbed by water, while that of the weakly coordinating anion [BF₄]^- is not. These observations can also be confirmed by the Voronoi polyhedra analysis, which shows that the polar network of microheterogeneous IL collapses by the introduction of water. Hydrogen-acceptor interactions revealed that the [Cl]^- anions are transferred from being situated in the IL to the water continuum, while [BF₄]^- is almost unperturbed; these effects mainly influence the interplay of the ionic liquid network.

"Solvent-in-salt" systems for design of new materials in chemistry, biology and energy research

Inorganic and organic "solvent-in-salt" (SIS) systems have been known for decades but have attracted significant attention only recently. Molten salt hydrates/solvates have been successfully employed as non-flammable, benign electrolytes in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries leading to a revolution in battery development and design. SIS with organic components (for example, ionic liquids containing small amounts of water) demonstrate remarkable thermal stability and tunability, and present a class of admittedly safer electrolytes, in comparison with traditional organic solvents. Water molecules tend to form nano- and microstructures (droplets and channel networks) in ionic media impacting their heterogeneity. Such microscale domains can be employed as microreactors for chemical and enzymatic synthesis. In this review, we address known SIS systems and discuss their composition, structure, properties and dynamics. Special attention is paid to the current and potential applications of inorganic and organic SIS systems in energy research, chemistry and biochemistry. A separate section of this review is dedicated to experimental methods of SIS investigation, which is crucial for the development of this field.

Designing the ammonium cation to achieve a higher hydrophilicity of bistriflimide-based ionic liquids

Development of water soluble bistriflimide-based ionic liquids and molecular dynamics simulations to unveil the underlying molecular details.

Fast selective homogeneous extraction of UO22+ with carboxyl-functionalised task-specific ionic liquids

The carboxyl-functionalised task-specific ionic liquid of 1-carboxymethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethyl-sulfonyl)imide ([HOOCmim][NTf₂]) was used as solvent and extractant for UO₂²⁺ extraction from aqueous solution. A homogeneous phase of [HOOCmim][NTf₂]-H₂O system could be achieved at 75 °C, and 86.8 ± 4.8% of UO₂²⁺ was separated from the aqueous solution after vibrating for only 1 min. Furthermore, nearly 97.3 ± 2.9% of UO₂²⁺ was stripped from [HOOCmim][NTf₂] phase by 1 M HNO₃ solution. K⁺, Na⁺, Mg²⁺, Dy³⁺, La³⁺, and Eu³⁺ have little influence on the homogeneous extraction of UO₂²⁺, and the extraction efficiency of UO₂²⁺ still remained at ca. 80%. Experimental and theoretical study on the selectivity of [HOOCmim][NTf₂]-H₂O system were performed for the first time. Density functional theory calculation indicates that the solvent effect plays a significant role on the selectivity of [HOOCmim][NTf₂]-H₂O.

Radiation Effect of Carboxyl-Functionalized Task-Specific Ionic Liquids on UO22+ Removal: Experimental Study with DFT Validation

Experimental study with DFT validation on the effect of radiation on 1-carboxymethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide ([HOOCCH₂MIM][NTf₂]) as a solvent and extractant in rapid homogeneous extraction of UO₂²⁺ was performed for the first time. The radiolytic products of the anions and cations of [HOOCCH₂MIM][NTf₂] were identified by ¹⁹F NMR and high-resolution ESI-MS, respectively, and they were attributed to a decrease in UO₂²⁺ partitioning. Experimental study with DFT validation for complexing reactions between [HOOCCH₂MIM][NTf₂] and radiolytic products proved that F^- competition was one of the main reasons for the decrease in UO₂²⁺ partitioning. However, UO₂²⁺ partitioning in irradiated [HOOCCH₂MIM][NTf₂] can largely be recovered after thorough water washing because of the removal of radiolytic products of [NTf₂]^-.

Double salt ionic liquids based on 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate and hydroxyl-functionalized ammonium acetates: strong effects of weak interactions

The weaker N–H⋯O interactions between hydroxyl-functionalized ammonium acetates are more important than the stronger O–H⋯O interactions in determining solubility in the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate.

Metal extraction with a short-chain imidazolium nitrate ionic liquid

The ionic liquid 1,3-dihexylimidazolium nitrate shows temperature-dependent phase behavior of the UCST-type. The biphasic system efficiently separates rare earths from 1st row transition metals, relevant for recycling of batteries (La/Ni) and permanent magnets (Sm/Co).

Thermoreversible (Ionic-Liquid-Based) Aqueous Biphasic Systems

The ability to induce reversible phase transitions between homogeneous solutions and biphasic liquid-liquid systems, at pre-defined and suitable operating temperatures, is of crucial relevance in the design of separation processes. Ionic-liquid-based aqueous biphasic systems (IL-based ABS) have demonstrated superior performance as alternative extraction platforms, and their thermoreversible behaviour is here disclosed by the use of protic ILs. The applicability of the temperature-induced phase switching is further demonstrated with the complete extraction of two value-added proteins, achieved in a single-step. It is shown that these temperature-induced mono(bi)phasic systems are significantly more versatile than classical liquid-liquid systems which are constrained by their critical temperatures. IL-based ABS allow to work in a wide range of temperatures and compositions which can be tailored to fit the requirements of a given separation process.

Ammonia capture from the gas phase by encapsulated ionic liquids (ENILs)

Encapsulated ionic liquids (ENILs) based on carbonaceous submicrocapsules were designed, synthesized and applied to the sorption of NH₃ from gas streams.

Mutual solubilities between water and non-aromatic sulfonium-, ammonium- and phosphonium-hydrophobic ionic liquids

Although previous studies attempted to characterize the liquid-liquid phase behaviour between water and ionic liquids (ILs), the impact of non-cyclic cations on the solubilities is poorly studied and yet to be understood. In this work, the mutual solubilities between water and ILs containing the anion bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, [NTf2](-), combined with the cations diethylmethylsulfonium, [S221][NTf2], triethylsulfonium, [S222][NTf2], butyltrimethylammonium, [N4111][NTf2], tributylmethylammonium, [N4441][NTf2], methyltrioctylammonium, [N1888][NTf2], and methyltrioctylphosphonium, [P1888][NTf2], from (288.15 to 318.15) K and at 0.1 MPa, were experimentally measured and further compared with predictions from the COnductor-like Screening MOdel for Real Solvents (COSMO-RS). All the studied phase diagrams display an upper critical solution temperature (UCST). The binary system composed of [P1888][NTf2] exhibits the widest immiscibility gap, followed by [N18888][NTf2], [N4441][NTf2], [S222][NTf2], [N4111][NTf2], and [S221][NTf2]. The COSMO-RS is able to correctly predict the experimental UCST behaviour and the cation impact on the immiscibility regimes observed. Natural Population Analysis (NPA) calculations were additionally performed for the isolated cations in the gas phase indicating that the differences in the water-IL mutual miscibilities might not result only from the hydrophobicity of the cation (derived from the increase of the alkyl chains length) but also from the charge distribution of the central atom and attached methylene groups. This fact explains the enhanced solubility of ammonium-based ILs in water here identified.

Crystal structure of tris-(1,10-phenanthroline-κ(2) N,N')iron(II) bis-[bis-(tri-fluoro-methyl-sulfon-yl)imide] monohydrate

The crystal structure of the title complex, [Fe(C12H8N2)3][(CF3SO2)2N]2·H2O, is constructed by one octa-hedral [Fe(phen)3](2+) (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) cation (point group symmetry 2), two Tf2N(-) [bis-(tri-fluoromethyl-sulfon-yl)imide] anions, and one water mol-ecule of crystallization (point group 2). The Fe-N bond lengths are indicative of a d (6) low-spin state for the Fe(II) ion in the complex. The dihedral angle between the phen ligands in the cation is 87.64 (6)°. The Tf2N(-) counter-anion is non-coordinating, with the -CF3 groups arranged in a trans fashion with respect to each other, leading to an anti,anti conformation of the -CF3 groups and -SO2N- moieties relative to the S-C bonds. The water mol-ecule of crystallization connects two O atoms of the Tf2N(-) anions through weak hydrogen bonds. C-H⋯O hydrogen-bonding inter-actions are also observed, consolidating the packing of the mol-ecules into a three-dimensional network structure.

Effects of constituent ions of a phosphonium-based ionic liquid on molecular organization of H2O as probed by 1-propanol: tetrabutylphosphonium and trifluoroacetate ions

The phosphonium-based cation, [P₄₄₄₄]⁺, is significant amphiphile with strong hydrophobic and equally strong hydrophilic contributions.

Thermoresponsive polyelectrolytes derived from ionic liquids

In this review we summarise recent progress on the design, properties, and potential applications of ionic liquid-derived polyelectrolytes showing thermoresponsive phase behaviour after mixing with water or other organic solvents.

Insights into the denaturation of bovine serum albumin with a thermo-responsive ionic liquid

Influence of bovine serum albumin on the phase transition behavior of the synthetic ionic liquid tetrabutylphosphonium styrenesulfonate ([P(4),(4),(4),(4)][SS]) together with the interactions between [P(4),(4),(4),(4)][SS] and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), turbidity measurements, FT-IR, in combination with perturbation correlation moving window (PCMW) and two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2DCOS). Our results reveal that the addition of BSA would increase the phase transition temperature but weaken the transition behavior of [P(4),(4),(4),(4)][SS] solution. DSC and turbidity data show us that the transition temperature of a ternary system with 20 wt% BSA added is 3 °C higher than that with 20% (w/v) [P(4),(4),(4),(4)][SS] solution. Interactions between [P(4),(4),(4),(4)][SS] and BSA together with the phase transition behavior of [P(4),(4),(4),(4)][SS] are responsible for the denaturation of BSA upon heating. PCMW determined the obvious distinctions in LCST of different chemical groups manifesting their various response sequences in the phase separation and denaturation upon heating. Finally, 2DCOS was employed to elucidate the sequential order of chemical group motions during heating. It is worth noting that the appearance of the isosbestic point in the C[double bond, length as m-dash]O groups of FTIR spectra indicates the direct transformation of the conformation of α-helix, random coil to β-sheet and β-turn without an intermediate transition state. Additionally, the phase separation process of ionic liquid is able to recover to the original state before heating while the denaturation of BSA is irreversible after a cooling process.

The complex structure of ionic liquids at an atomistic level: from “red-and-greens” to charge templates

In this article, we discuss how the relation between interactions and structure in ionic liquids (ILs) can be probed at a molecular level using ab initio and molecular dynamics (MD) methodologies. The first part of the discussion will focus on the unique and complex properties of ILs as pure substances including the existence of an extended and flexible polar network and the possibility of a second nanosegregated subphase containing the nonpolar residues of the molecular ions that constitute some ILs. The discussion will then be extended to IL plus molecular species mixtures/solutions. In this context the concept of ILs as charge templates for the electronic make-up of the molecular species will be analyzed at length. Finally, that concept will be extended to ILs adsorbed over solid substrates.

Homogeneous liquid–liquid extraction of neodymium(iii) by choline hexafluoroacetylacetonate in the ionic liquid choline bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide

Choline hexafluoroacetylacetonate diluted in the ionic liquid choline bis(trifluoromethylsulphonyl)imide has been used as an extractant for the homogeneous liquid–liquid extraction of neodymium(iii) ions.

Homogeneous liquid-liquid extraction of rare earths with the betaine-betainium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ionic liquid system

Several fundamental extraction parameters such as the kinetics and loading were studied for a new type of metal solvent extraction system with ionic liquids. The binary mixture of the ionic liquid betainium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide and water shows thermomorphic behavior with an upper critical solution temperature (UCST), which can be used to avoid the slower mass transfer due to the generally higher viscosity of ionic liquids. A less viscous homogeneous phase and mixing on a molecular scale are obtained when the mixture is heated up above 55 °C. The influence of the temperature, the heating and cooling times, were studied for the extraction of neodymium(III) with betaine. A plausible and equal extraction mechanism is proposed in bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, nitrate, and chloride media. After stripping of the metals from the ionic liquid phase, a higher recovery of the ionic liquid was obtained by salting-out of the ionic liquid fraction lost by dissolution in the aqueous phase. The change of the upper critical solution temperature by the addition of HCl or betaine was investigated. In addition, the viscosity was measured below and above the UCST as a function of the temperature.

Homogeneous Liquid-Liquid Extraction of Metal Ions with a Functionalized Ionic Liquid

Binary mixtures of the ionic liquid betainium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide and water show an upper critical solution temperature. This solvent system has been used to extract metal ions by phase-transition extraction, using zwitterionic betaine as extractant. The system is efficient for the extraction of trivalent rare-earth, indium and gallium ions. This new type of metal extraction system avoids problems associated with the use of viscous ionic liquids, namely, the difficulty of intense mixing of the aqueous and ionic liquid phases by stirring.