An investigation of the reaction between 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate and superoxide ion

► [BMIm][TfO] ionic liquid was used as a medium for O2− generation. ► CV and CA techniques were utilized for electrochemical generation of O2−. ► The Do of O2 increased with temperature increase while the solubility decreased. ► The long-term stability showed that O2− was unstable in the IL. ► O2− reacted with [BMIm]+ to produce 1-butyl-3-methyl-2-imidazolone.