Capability study of 1-butyl-3- methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide and trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)phosphinate as solvents in the separation of 1-propanol from water

The liquid-liquid equilibria of the ternary systems water (1) + 1-propanol (2) + 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([bmim][Tf2N]) (3) and water (1) + 1-propanol (2) + trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)phosphinate ([TDTHP][Phosph]) (3) at 283.2, 303.2 and 323.2 K and atmospheric pressure were determined to study their behaviour, determine their thermodynamic parameters and know the capability as solvents of [bmim][Tf2N] and [TDTHP][Phosph] in the separation of the azeotropic mixture water + 1-propanol. The non-random two-liquid (NRTL) and universal quasichemical (UNIQUAC) models were used in the calculation of the thermodynamic parameter with great results (the maximum root-mean-square deviation was 0.70%). The capability of both ionic liquids was studied through distribution coefficient and selectivity and was compared with the results obtained with other ionic liquids studied before by our research group.