Abstract

Abstract Ionic liquids, also called molten salts, are mixtures of cations and anions that melt below 100°C. Typical ionic liquids are dialkylimidazolium cations with weakly coordinating anions such as [BF 4 ] or [PF 6 ]. Deep eutectic solvents are also included in this review because their properties are similar. Deep eutectic solvents are mixtures of salts such as choline chloride and uncharged hydrogen bond donors such as urea, oxalic acid, or glycerol. The advantage of using ionic liquids is enhanced solubility of substrates or products without inactivation of the enzymes. Ionic liquids as cosolvents with water help to dissolve nonpolar substrates, but do not inactivate enzymes like water‐miscible organic solvents do. The enhanced solubility of substrates usually increases the rate of reaction and often increases the regio‐ or enantio‐selectivity. Ionic liquids can also serve as solvents for nonaqueous reactions. In these cases, they are especially suitable for dissolving polar substrates. Polar organic solvent alternatives inactivate enzymes but ionic liquids do not, even when they have similar polarities. Hydrolases and oxidoreductases are particularly well‐studied in ionic liquids. Besides their solubility properties, ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents may be greener than organic solvents because ionic liquids are nonvolatile and can be made from nontoxic components.

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