Relevant parameters for assessing the environmental impact of some pyridinium, ammonium and pyrrolidinium based ionic liquids

Several physico-chemical properties relevant to determine the environmental impact of ionic liquids – aqueous solubility, octanol/water partition coefficient, chromatographically derived lipophilicity and infinite dilution diffusion coefficients in water – were measured in ionic liquids based on pyridinium, ammonium and pyrrolidinium cations with bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide anions. The influence of the presence of hydroxyl or ester groups in the physico-chemical properties of these liquids was checked. It appeared that the presence of functional oxygenated moieties reduces the lipophilicity of ionic liquids and so decreases the risk of bioaccumulation in environment.

► Environmental impact of pyridinium, ammonium and pyrrolidinium based ionic liquids.
► Aqueous solubility, octanol/water partition coefficient and diffusion in water.
► Chromatographically derived lipophilicity.
► Effect of oxygenated moieties on the environmental impact of ionic liquids.