(Liquid + liquid) extraction of methanol from alkanes using dialkylphosphate-based ionic liquids as solvents

• Several ILs were studied as solvents to extract methanol from alkanes.
• LLE data for ternary systems were measured at T = 298.2 K and atmospheric pressure.
• LLE data for ternary systems were successfully correlated by using the NRTL model.
• Results of solute distribution ratio and selectivity were compared with literature.
• The [MMIM][DMP] showed the best extraction effectiveness in the studied ILs.

In this work, the feasibility of ionic liquids (ILs), 1,3-dimethylimidazolium dimethylphosphate ([MMIM][DMP]), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium diethylphosphate ([EMIM][DEP]), and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium dibutylphosphate ([BMIM][DBP]), as solvents for the extraction of methanol from its mixtures with hexane and heptane was analyzed. The knowledge of (liquid + liquid) equilibria (LLE) of these mixtures is necessary for the design of the extraction separation process. Hence, the LLE data for the ternary systems, {methanol + hexane + ([MMIM][DMP], or [EMIM][DEP], or [BMIM][DBP])}, and {methanol + heptane + ([MMIM][DMP], or [EMIM][DEP], or [BMIM][DBP])}, were measured at T = 298.2 K and atmospheric pressure. The experimental results were correlated with the thermodynamic nonrandom two-liquid (NRTL) model. The solute distribution ratios of methanol and methanol/alkane selectivities, derived from the experimental LLE data, were calculated and analyzed to evaluate the capability of the studied ILs to accomplish the separation target. Meanwhile, these capabilities were also compared with that of other ILs obtained from the literature.