Time resolved fluorescence depolarization experiments, 2D IR vibrational echoes, and optical heterodyne detected optical Kerr effect (OHD-OKE) measurements are used to study the influence of alkyl chain length on the dynamics and structure of a series of alkylmethylimidazolium room temperature ionic liquids (RTIL).  The fluorescence depolarization measurements demonstrate that as the alky chain length increases, the organic regions of the RTILs approach the behavior of a long chain hydrocarbon liquid.  The 2D IR experiments show that an increase in alkyl chain length changes the dynamics in the ionic regions of the RTILs although the cationic head group and the anion are unchanged.  The OHD-OKE measurements reveal that the addition of water, which will locate in the ionic regions, has a major influence on the dynamics and structure of RTILs that is strongly dependent on the alkyl chain length.  Overall, the results show that the length of the alky chain has a profound influence on the dynamics and structure of RTILs although the ionic portion of the RTIL is unchanged.

Influence of alkyl chain length on the dynamics and structure of alkylmethylimidazolium room temperature ionic liquids

248th National Meeting (2014)

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