Synthesis and characterization of ionic liquids based upon 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium chloride/ZnCl2

Abstract

Trialkylimidazolium chlorozincate molten salts resulting from the combination of zinc chloride and 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium chloride, [BMMI][Cl], have been prepared with a mole percent of ZnCl2, R (R = nZnCl2/nZnCl2 + n[BMMI][Cl]) equal to 0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.33, 0.5, 0.66, 0.75. Their analyses by DSC, 13C, 1H and 35Cl solid state and solution NMR, and mass spectrometry (ESI, MS/MS) are consistent with the presence of [BMMI][Cl] and [BMMI][ZnCl3] for R < 0.5; pure [BMMI][ZnCl3] for R = 0.5, and [BMMI][ZnCl3] with [BMMI][Zn3Cl7] for R > 0.5. Infrared spectra realized in the presence of pyridine show that the Lewis acidity of ZnCl2-[BMMI][Cl] increases with R. High temperature (110 °C) 13C and 35Cl NMR experiments on neat [BMMI][ZnCl3] (R = 0.5) evidenced that its structure varies with time from [BMMI][ZnCl3] to [BMMI⋯Cl⋯ZnCl2]. © The Royal Society of Chemistry and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique 2005.