Liquid structures of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate and carbon dioxide mixtures by X-ray diffraction measurements

X-ray diffraction measurements for the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, [BMIM][BF4], mixed with CO2 were carried out at high pressures using our developed polymer cell. The intermolecular distribution functions obtained for [BMIM][BF4]–CO2 mixtures showed that CO2 molecules are preferentially solvated to the [BF4]− anion. The similar preferential solvation was previously observed in analogous 1-btuyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate, [BMIM][PF6], with a different anion, which is in harmony with the present results in [BMIM][BF4]–CO2.