Pyridinium-based ionic liquids incorporating disulfide bond: Reversible control of phase separation property with water

Abstract

Water-insoluble pyridinium-based ionic liquids with a disulfide bond were prepared. Reduction of these ionic liquids using sodium hydrosulfite changed the water solubilities of the ionic liquids because the structural exchange of disulfide into thiol groups increases their polarities. Such a structural change by oxidationreduction enables reversible control of the phase separation property of ionic liquids with water.