Effects of Ionic Liquids on the Nucleofugality of Dimethyl Sulfide

The nucleofugality of dimethyl sulfide was measured in solvent mixtures containing ionic liquids. The first-order rate constants of the solvolysis of sulfonium salts were determined in mixtures containing different proportions of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide in ethanol, representing the first report on the solvolysis of a charged species in an ionic liquid. Temperature-dependent kinetic studies allowed determination of activation parameters and rationalization of observed solvent effects in different ionic liquid mixtures. From the solvolysis data, the nucleofugality of dimethyl sulfide in different proportions of this ionic liquid in ethanol was determined. Further, the nucleofugality of dimethyl sulfide was determined in mixtures containing high proportions of each of seven other ionic liquids in ethanol. These data allowed quantification of the effects of varying both the amount of ionic liquid present and on changing the components of the ionic liquid on the nucleofugality of dimethyl sulfide. The ionic liquid mixtures were shown to affect the nucleofugality of this nucleofuge in a different manner to the previously studied monatomic charged nucleofuges, owing to different microscopic interactions in solution. This work highlighted the necessity of considering electrofuges with an appropriate range of electrofugality values along with the importance of the nucleofuge-specific sensitivity parameter.

Effects of Ionic Liquids on the Nucleofugality of Bromide

The nucleofugality of bromide was measured in solvent mixtures containing ionic liquids. The solvolysis rate constants of the bromides of well-defined electrofuges were determined in mixtures containing different proportions of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide in ethanol. Temperature-dependent kinetic studies allowed an explanation of the observed solvent effects in different mixtures in terms of interactions in solution. Using the solvolysis data, the nucleofugality of bromide in these systems was determined. Likewise, nucleofugality data for bromide were determined in mixtures containing high proportions of seven further ionic liquids. These data allowed quantification of the effects of both varying the amount of ionic liquid and the nature of ionic liquid components on the nucleofugality of bromide. Importantly, ionic liquid mixtures were shown to affect the nucleofugality in a manner similar to chloride, providing a method for predicting the effects of ionic liquids on other electrofuges. Further, the ionic liquids were shown to move the transition state earlier along the reaction coordinate, meaning that there is less charge development in the transition state.

The effects of ionic liquids on the ethanolysis of a chloroacenaphthene. Evaluation of the effectiveness of nucleofugality data to predict reaction outcome

The reaction of a chlorobenzene in mixtures containing ethanol and eight different ionic liquids was investigated in order to understand the effects of varying proportions and constituent ions of an ionic liquid on the rate constant of the process. The results were found to be generally consistent with previously studied reactions of the same type, with small proportions of an ionic liquid resulting in a rate constant increase compared to ethanol and large proportions causing a rate constant decrease. Temperature dependent kinetic studies were used to interpret the changes in reaction outcome, particularly noting an entropic cost on moving to high proportions of ionic liquid, consistent with organisation of solvent around the transition state. While attempts to use empirical solvent parameters to correlate outcome with the ionic liquid used were unsuccessful, use of recently acquired nucleofugality data for chloride and estimations for the electrofuge allowed for excellent prediction of the effects of ionic liquids, with rate constants quantitatively predicted in systems containing both different proportions of ionic liquid (mean absolute error (MAE) log(k₁) = 0.11) and different ionic liquids (MAE log(k₁) = 0.33). Importantly, this demonstrates the ready application of these quantitative reactivity parameters.

The amphiphilic nanostructure of ionic liquids affects the dehydration of alcohols

The effect of the amphiphilic nanostructure of ionic liquids on the dehydration of secondary alcohols to alkenes has been investigated. The influence of these nanostructures was inverted when an acid catalyst was added to the reaction. This phenomenon was ascribed to a balance between ion-solute interactions and the formation of solute-catalyst hydrogen bonds, highlighting the complex interplay between interactions and reaction outcomes in these nanostructured solvent systems.

Effects of Ionic Liquids on the Nucleofugality of Chloride

The nucleofugality of chloride has been measured in solvent mixtures containing ionic liquids for the first time, allowing reactivity in these solvents to be put in context with molecular solvents. Using well-described electrofuges, solvolysis rate constants were determined in mixtures containing different proportions of ethanol and the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide; the different solvent effects observed as the mixture changed could be explained using interactions of the ionic liquid with species along the reaction coordinate, determined using temperature dependent kinetic studies. The solvolysis data allowed determination of the nucleofugality of chloride in these mixtures, which varied with the proportion of salt in the reaction mixture, demonstrating quantitatively the importance of the amount of ionic liquid in the reaction mixture in determining reaction outcome. Nucleofugality data for chloride were determined in seven further ionic liquids, with the reactivity shown to vary over more than an order of magnitude. This outcome illustrates that the components of the ionic liquid are critical in determining reaction outcome. Overall, this work quantitatively extends the understanding of solvent effects in ionic liquids and demonstrates the potential for such information to be used to rationally select an ionic liquid to control reaction outcome.

Ionic liquids: "normal" solvents or nanostructured fluids?

Ionic liquids (ILs) are a class of non-conventional solvents, which, for almost two decades, have continued to generate burgeoning interest in different fields of present-day chemical research with few similar precedents. Among the various aspects related to ILs, a topic worthy of in-depth analysis is their influence on organic reactivity and reaction rates. In light of this, the present short review aims to provide an overview of the literature from 2010 to the present day that addresses this issue. In particular, we herein present two main different viewpoints by which the solvent effect of ILs is explained: the first is mainly based on considering the bulk polarity of ILs and linear solvation energy relationships, while the other treats ILs as nanostructured fluids. In both cases, studies dealing with IL mixtures are also covered. Finally, literature addressing the area of supramolecular catalysis "by" or "in" ILs is also reported. This is one of the few reviews covering these specific aspects, aiming to provide a useful framework to guide future research into the effects of ILs on organic reactivity.

Room Temperature Ionic Liquids in Asymmetric Hetero-Ene Type Reactions: Improving Organocatalyst Performance at Lower Temperatures

Room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) have been widely used as (co)solvents in several catalytic processes modifying, in most of the cases, the catalyst activity and/or the selectivity for the studied reactions. However, there are just a few examples of their use in hydrogen bonding organocatalysis. In this paper, we show the positive effect of a set of imidazole-based ionic liquids ([bmim]BF₄ and [hmim]PF₆) in the enantioselective addition of formaldehyde tert-butylhydrazone to prochiral α-keto esters catalyzed by a sugar-based chiral thiourea. Reactions performed in the presence of low percentages of RTILs led to an increase of the catalyst activity, thereby making possible to work at lower temperatures. Thus, the chiral tert-butyl azomethyl tertiary alcohols could be obtained with moderate to good conversions and higher enantioselectivities for most of the studied substrates when using up to 30 vol% of [hmim]PF₆ as a cosolvent in processes performed in toluene.

Choline [Amino Acid] Ionic Liquid/Water Mixtures: A Triple Effect for the Degradation of an Organophosphorus Pesticide

A series of ionic liquids (ILs) composed by choline (Ch) as a cation and different amino acids (AA) as anions and their respective aqueous mixtures were prepared using different [Ch][AA] contents in a range of 0.4-46 mol % IL. These solvents were used for the first time to achieve an eco-friendlier Paraoxon degradation. The results show that [Ch][AA]/water mixtures are an effective reaction medium to degrade Paraoxon, even when the IL content in the mixture is low (0.4 mol % IL) and without the need of an extra nucleophile. Both the kinetics and the degradation pathways of pesticides depend on the nature of the AA on [Ch][AA] and the amount of an IL present in the mixture. We have demonstrated that in those mixtures with a low amount of [Ch][AA], the hydrolysis reaction is the main pathway for Paraoxon degradation, showing a catalytic effect of the IL. However, as the percentage of [Ch][AA] increases in the mixture, the nucleophilic attack of [Ch][AA] is evident. Finally, the aim of this study was to provide evidence of a promising and biocompatible methodology to degrade a toxic compound (Paraoxon) using a minimal quantity of an IL designed totally from natural resources.

Investigating Variation of the Pnicogen Nucleophilic Heteroatom on Ionic Liquid Solvent Effects in Bimolecular Nucleophilic Substitution Processes

A series of nucleophiles containing Group 15 nucleophilic heteroatoms has been used to expand and develop the current understanding of ionic liquid solvent effects on bimolecular nucleophilic substitution processes. It was found that when using arsenic-, antimony- and bismuth-based nucleophiles, rate constant enhancement was observed for all solvent compositions containing ionic liquids. This rate constant enhancement was driven by ionic liquid/transition state interactions, which contrasts with previous studies on earlier Group 15 nucleophiles. This study provides a holistic understanding and augments the predictive framework for the effects of ionic liquids on bimolecular nucleophilic substitution processes, with the potential for these periodic trends to be broadly applied.

Controlling the outcome of SN2 reactions in ionic liquids: from rational data set design to predictive linear regression models

Rate constants for a bimolecular nucleophilic substitution (SN2) process in a range of ionic liquids are correlated with calculated parameters associated with the charge localisation on the cation of the ionic liquid (including the molecular electrostatic potential). Simple linear regression models proved effective, though the interdependency of the descriptors needs to be taken into account when considering generality. A series of ionic liquids were then prepared and evaluated as solvents for the same process; this data set was rationally chosen to incorporate homologous series (to evaluate systematic variation) and functionalities not available in the original data set. These new data were used to evaluate and refine the original models, which were expanded to include simple artificial neural networks. Along with showing the importance of an appropriate data set and the perils of overfitting, the work demonstrates that such models can be used to reliably predict ionic liquid solvent effects on an organic process, within the limits of the data set.

Controlling the reactions of 1-bromogalactose acetate in methanol using ionic liquids as co-solvents

The reactions of an acetobromogalactose in mixtures of methanol and one of seven different ionic liquids with varying constituent ions were studied. In general, small amounts of ionic liquid in the reaction mixture led to increases in the rate constant compared to methanol, whilst large amounts of ionic liquid led to decreases in the rate constant; this outcome differs significantly from previous reactions proceeding through this mechansim. Temperature dependent kinetic studies indicated that the dominant interaction driving these changes was between the ionic liquid and the transition state of the process. Through considering solvent parameters of ionic liquids, a relationship was found between the changes in the rate constant and both the hydrogen bond accepting ability and polarisability of the solvent, indicating that the interactions affecting reaction outcome are both specific and non-specific in nature; once more, these interactions were different to those observed in previous similar reactions. By changing the amount of ionic liquid in the reaction mixture, additional products not seen in the molecular solvent case were observed, the ratios of which are dependent on the anion of the ionic liquid and the proportion of ionic liquid in the reaction mixture. This demonstrates the importance of considering solvent effects on both the rate and product determining steps and the potential application of such changes is discussed.

Correlating ionic liquid solvent effects with solvent parameters for a reaction that proceeds through a xanthylium intermediate

A unimolecular nucleophilic substitution reaction that proceeds through a xanthylium carbocation was studied in seven ionic liquid solvents. It was found that the general trend in the rate constant with changing proportion of ionic liquid in the reaction mixture was different to that seen for other unimolecular processes, with the rate constant increasing as more ionic liquid was added to the reaction mixture. A significant correlation was found between the natural logarithm of the rate constant and a combination of the Kamlet-Taft solvent parameters. This relationship indicated that the principal interaction involved hydrogen bonding between the ionic liquid and some species along the reaction coordinate. Further, this correlation enables prediction of the effects that other ionic liquids will have on this, and other, reactions that proceed through a similar intermediate.

Proteins in Ionic Liquids: Reactions, Applications, and Futures

Biopolymer processing and handling is greatly facilitated by the use of ionic liquids, given the increased solubility, and in some cases, structural stability imparted to these molecules. Focussing on proteins, we highlight here not just the key drivers behind protein-ionic liquid interactions that facilitate these functionalities, but address relevant current and potential applications of protein-ionic liquid interactions, including areas of future interest.