Protic ionic liquids (PILs) are formed when an anhydrous mixture of a Bronsted acid and Bronsted base creates an ionic melt via proton transfer, and such systems have been found to behave similarly to other ionic liquids.  Molecular forms should dominate for combinations of weaker acids and bases, but in some cases such mixtures display some properties that are reminiscent of ionic liquids rather than molecular mixtures.  We make a systematic study of the physical properties of mixtures of Bronsted acids and bases in varying ratios, and observe evidence of both the formation of small aggregate structures and distinct nanoscale phases.  The results hellp explain these systems' observed physical properties, and offer a connection between early work on carboxylic acid/alkylamine mixtures and current generation ionic liquids.

Pseudoprotic ionic liquids and protic mixtures:  Strange cousins of ionic liquids

255th National Meeting (2018)

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