A density functional theory study on the water aggregation behaviour of fatty acid-based anionic surface active ionic liquids

Abstract

The hydrogen bond interactions between methyl-imidazolium cation (MIM+) and fatty acid anions (CmHnCOO–, where m = 1–6; n-3–13) of ionic liquids are studied in both gas phase and water phase using density functional theory. The structural properties show that the presence of N–H···O and C–H···O hydrogen bonds between [MIM]+ and [CmHnCOO]– (m = 1–6; n-3–13) ionic liquids. From the vibrational frequency analysis, it was found that the hydrogen bond interaction between [MIM]+ and [CmHnCOO]– (m = 1–6; n-3–13) ionic liquids are red-shifted in frequency. The natural bond orbital analysis show that the N–H···O hydrogen bond associated with the large charge transfer which has the higher stabilization energy (i.e. E(2) ~ 38 kcal/mol). Further, the cation/anion–water cluster (H2O)1–3 interactions show that the water molecules are preferred to interact with anions. In the case of ionic liquid–water cluster interaction, the water molecules occupies the interstitial space between cation and anion of ionic liquids which results in weakening the cation–anion interaction.