Preparation and characterization of new low melting ammonium-based ionic liquids with ether functionality

Eighteen new and three previously known but insufficiently characterized RR´3N+A− and R2R´2N+A− type (R = 2-ethoxyethyl or 4-methoxybenzyl, R´ = methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, n-butyl, n-pentyl or n-hexyl, A = Br, BF4 or PF6) quaternary ammonium (QA) salts were synthesized and characterized by using 1H and 13C NMR techniques, mass spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The bromide salts were synthesized either by treating dimethyl formamide with an ether functionalized alkyl bromide in the presence of potassium carbonate or by treating a tertiary amine with an ether functionalized alkyl bromide. The QA tetrafluoroborates and hexafluorophosphates were synthesized by metathesis reaction between a prepared QA bromide and HBF4 or KPF6. The crystal structures of four compounds were determined by X-ray single crystal diffraction and powder diffraction was used to study the crystallinity of the solid compounds and to compare the structural similarities between the single crystals and the microcrystalline bulk form. Thermal properties of all compounds were studied by using TG/DTA and DSC methods. The anion exchange had a clear lowering effect on the melting points and enhanced the thermal stability of the BF4- and PF6- salts compared to the analogous bromides. Most of the compounds melted clearly below 100 °C, of which four are liquid at room temperature.