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. 2009 Jul 13;14(7):2521-34.
doi: 10.3390/molecules14072521.

Ionic liquids: just Molten salts after all?

Hon Man Yau  1 , Si Jia Chan, Stephen R D George, James M Hook, Anna K Croft, Jason B Harper
Affiliations

Ionic liquids: just Molten salts after all?

Hon Man Yau et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

While there has been much effort in recent years to characterise ionic liquids in terms of parameters that are well described for molecular solvents, using these to explain reaction outcomes remains problematic. Herein we propose that many reaction outcomes in ionic liquids may be explained by considering the electrostatic interactions present in the solution; that is, by recognising that ionic liquids are salts. This is supported by evidence in the literature, along with studies presented here.

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Figures

Scheme 1
Scheme 1
Nucleophilic substitution of the chloride 1 to give the ether 2, carried out in a mixture of alcohol and ionic liquid.
Scheme 2
Scheme 2
Menschutkin reaction of the benzyl bromide 3 with pyridine.
Scheme 3
Scheme 3
Acid-catalysed hydrolysis of benzaldehyde dimethyl acetal 5.
Scheme 4
Scheme 4
Nitrile oxide cycloaddition of benzonitrile oxide 7 to ethyl trans-cinnamate 8 to give the isoxazoles 9a and 9b.
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