Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
over the past few years, with perhaps the highlight being the first international
Congress on Ionic Liquids (COIL), held in Salzburg, Austria, in 2005, in
which more than 400 participants came together to discuss ionic liquid
research topics. This was followed by COIL-2 in Yokohama, Japan, in
2007, in which over 600 people attended. A new congress will be held every
2 years, with the venues for 2009, 2011, and 2013 already set. As a research
topic, ionic liquids have arrived.
Why has the interest in ionic liquids been growing at such a fast pace?
Certainly, part of the growth is the result of the fact that ionic liquids are
just plain interesting substances, and, as such, scientists want to study them.
Figure 2 shows a photo of a sample of the ionic liquid 1-
n
-hexyl-3-methylimi-
dazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (or [C
6
mim][Tf
2
N], for short). It
is
amazing to see a pure salt that looks just like water. Actually, this ionic liquid
is a bit more viscous than water, so it looks more like glycerol or a mineral oil
than water. Nevertheless, liquid salts that can be poured at room temperature
are curious substances and were bound to stimulate the imaginations of
researchers. Ionic liquids are much more than lab curiosities, however, which
is why commercial interest in them is so strong. Ionic liquids can possess a
number of unique properties that enable them to be used in many applications
where other materials are lacking.
Figure 2
Sample of the ionic liquid 1-
n
-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluorome-
thylsulfonyl)imide made in the laboratory of Joan Brennecke at the University of Notre
Dame. This ionic liquid is clear and stays liquid well below room temperature.
