Chloride Ionic Liquid Research Articles

A fiber-packed needle-type extraction device with ionic liquid-based molecularly imprinted polymer as coating for extraction of chlorobenzenes in water samples

A needle-type extraction device (NTED) packed with ionic liquid-based molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP) coated copper fiber was produced for extraction of chlorobenzenes (CBs) in the aqueous environment followed by detection with GC-FID. Precipitation polymerization was performed to synthesize CBs imprinted polymers (CBs-MIP) with CBs as a mixed template, and 1-vinyl-3-aminoformylmethyl imidazolium chloride ionic liquid ([VAFMIM]Cl) as a functional monomer. Then CBs-MIP was coated on the braided copper fiber surface by sol–gel technology, which was served as a coated fiber to extract five trace CBs in drinking water, river water and industrial wastewater. The effects of several experimental conditions on extraction, including extraction time and temperature, pump flow rate, stirring speed, desorption time and temperature were studied by the single factor and experimental design method. A Plackett-Burman design (PBD) was used to screen the significant factors and a Box-Behnken design (BBD) was applied to optimize the significant variables to obtain the optimum extraction conditions. The limits of detection (0.0073–0.0130 μg L−1) and enrichment factors (2158–4087) for studied CBs were obtained after optimization. Moreover, the recoveries of CBs spiked in real water samples were 80.01–97.10% with RSD less than 7.70%. The experimental results confirmed that the NTED packed with CBs-MIP coated fiber is a promising device for extracting trace CBs from the water matrix.

Phyllantin Extraction Using Imidazolium Ionic Liquids with Chloride and Bromide Anion by Microwaved Assisted Extraction Method

Phyllanthin is known to have therapeutic properties such as immunomodulator, nephroprotective, and anticancer. Phyllanthin is a lignan compound that is commonly found in plants of the Phyllanthus genus, one of which is green meniran (Phyllanthus niruri). Solvent Ionic Liquid (IL) is one of the alternative solvents that are widely used for the extraction of compounds from a plant. The purpose of this study were to compare the extraction yield of philanthine compounds from meniran herbs using IL solvent by Microwave Assisted Extraction (MAE) with methanol by maceration method, and to determine the IL solvent that could produce the highest phyllanthin content. Optimization were carried out using the independent variables IL solvent concentration (0.25 M, 0.75 M, and 1.25 M) and sample-solvent mixture (1:10, 1:12, and 1:14). The variable modeling is designed using Response Surface Methodology that produced 9 runs of combination of solvent concentration and sample-solvent mixture ratio. The phyllanthin assay was using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with ethanol-water mixture (66:34) as mobile phase and wavelength at 229 nm for detection. The optimum extraction conditions showed the best results for imidazolium chloride IL at 1st run with a concentration of 0.75 M, the sample-solvent mixture of 1:14 and phyllanthin content of 0.1783 mg/g while imidazolium bromide IL at 7th run with a concentration of 0.75 M and the sample-solvent mixture of 1:12 and phyllanthin content of 0.23 mg/g. However, the methanol maceration method could only extract phyllanthin as much as 0.1319 mg/g. Based on these results, the use of IL-MAE was more effective than the methanol maceration method due to higher phyllantin extract.

Density, Viscosity, and Hydrogen Sulfide Solubility of the Triethylamine Hydrochloride Ferric Chloride Ionic Liquid

The density, viscosity, and hydrogen sulfide solubility of the triethylamine hydrochloride ferric chloride ionic liquid (rFeCl3/Et3NHCl) were measured at temperatures of 303.15 to 348.15 K, pressures up to 200 kPa, and iron–amine ratios (r, molar ratio of anhydrous FeCl3 to Et3NHCl) of 0.4 to 1.0 mol·mol–1. Density and viscosity data were respectively fitted with empirical correlations for temperature. The H2S solubility in rFeCl3/Et3NHCl was measured by the isochoric pressure drop method. The absorption of H2S in FeCl3/Et3NHCl contains the physical process and chemical process. The decrease in temperature and iron–amine ratio and the increase in pressure are beneficial to improve the total solubility of H2S. Using the reaction equilibrium thermodynamic model (RETM) to correlate the solubility data, the chemical reaction equilibrium constant and Henry’s constant were obtained. Affected by the molecular molar volume and acidity, Henry’s constant first decreases and then increases with the increase in iron–amine ratio and has a minimum value at 0.6 molar ratio. The reaction equilibrium constant decreases with the rise of iron–amine ratio and the reduction of temperature. The total solubility at low pressure is dominated by chemical absorption. As the pressure increases, the proportion of physical absorption increases.

The antibacterial activity and mechanism of imidazole chloride ionic liquids on Staphylococcus aureus.

Ionic liquids (ILs) have garnered increasing attention in the biomedical field due to their unique properties. Although significant research has been conducted in recent years, there is still a lack of understanding of the potential applications of ILs in the biomedical field and the underlying principles. To identify the antibacterial activity and mechanism of ILs on bacteria, we evaluated the antimicrobial potency of imidazole chloride ILs (CnMIMCl) on Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The toxicity of ILs was positively correlated to the length of the imidazolidinyl side chain. We selected C12MIMCl to study the mechanism of S. aureus. Through the simultaneous change in the internal and external parts of S. aureus, C12MIMCl caused the death of the bacteria. The production of large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within the internal parts stimulated oxidative stress, inhibited bacterial metabolism, and led to bacterial death. The external cell membrane could be destroyed, causing the cytoplasm to flow out and the whole cell to be fragmented. The antibacterial effect of C12MIMCl on skin abscesses was further verified in vivo in mice.

Controlling of Conductivity and Morphological Properties of Hole-Transport Layer Using Ionic Liquid for Vacuum-Free Planar Hybrid Solar Cells

In this study, an acidic (A) and pH-neutral (pHN) solution using poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) as the hole-transport layer (HTL) was modified using a 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIM+Cl−) ionic liquid (IL). The effects of this ionic liquid on the conductivity and morphological properties of the PEDOT:PSS films were investigated. The conductivity and morphological properties of the PEDOT: PSS films before and after adding IL were measured using a UV–vis spectrophotometer and atomic force microscope (AFM), respectively. The conductivity of the A-PEDOT:PSS-film-based ionic liquid was decreased, while the conductivity of the pHN-PEDOT:PSS-film-based ionic liquid was increased. The surface morphology of the A-PEDOT:PSS-film-based ionic liquid was slightly decreased, while the conductivity of the pHN-PEDOT:PSS-film-based ionic liquid was slightly increased. The vacuum-free planar hybrid solar cells (VFPHSCs) using the pHN-PEDOT:PSS-film-based ionic liquid show a higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) than the VFPHSCs using the A-PEDOT:PSS-film-based ionic liquid. We also report that a solar cell with a structure of ITO/pHN-PEDOT:PSS/PTB7:PCBM/PEO/EGaIn has a maximum PCE of about ~5%.

Electrochemical behavior of aluminum in triethylamine hydrochloride-aluminum chloride ionic liquid.

This paper studies the electrochemical behavior of aluminum in AlCl3-Et3NHCl with a molar ratio of AlCl3 to Et3NHCl (N) from 1.3 to 1.95 by stationary electrolysis and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Cathodic and anodic stationary polarization curves are obtained. The cathodic polarization curves are S-shaped and contain limiting current plateau sections. Salt passivation is observed at anodic overpotentials. Apparent exchange current densities were measured for the first time and were found to increase from 1.02 to 2.50 mA cm-2 with an increase in Al2Cl7- concentration. The apparent electrochemical rate constant and transfer coefficient at T = 303 K were calculated (1.14 × 10-6 cm s-1 and 0.14, respectively). Apparent exchange current densities at the Al|AlCl3-Et3NHCl interface are determined at temperatures between 303 and 373 K (N = 1.5), and the data are used to calculate the apparent electrochemical rate constant (2.6 × 10-6 to 10-6 cm s-1); the activation energy for the charge transfer process was also determined (31.4 kJ mol-1). The results obtained in this paper may be used to optimize the composition of electrolytes in aluminum-ion batteries and also to further investigate the processes taking place in chloroaluminate ILs.

Theoretical and experimental investigation of CO2 solubility in nanofluids containing NaP zeolite nanocrystals and [C12mim][Cl] ionic liquid

AbstractToday, CO2 separation is very important, both as an environmental issue and also in various industries. In this study, the water‐based nanofluid of NaP zeolite nanocrystals and 1‐dodecyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride ([C12mim][Cl]) ionic liquid were mixed and tested experimentally for CO2 absorption in an isothermal high pressure cell equipped with magnetic stirring. Zeolite nanocrystals were synthesized via the hydrothermal approach and characterized. A series of experiments were performed at different conditions to investigate the impact of various parameters, including nanoparticle type, nanoparticle concentration, stabilizer concentration, and the vessel's initial pressure, on CO2 solubility. It was found that 0.02 wt.% of zeolite nanoparticles, 0.4 wt.% of [C12mim][Cl] ionic liquid, and 0.05 wt.% of sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate (SDBS) in nanofluids result in higher absorption of CO2 compared to other concentrations. Furthermore, CO2 absorption was increased by increasing ionic liquid and surfactant concentration up to a certain value near critical micelle concentration, but after that the CO2 absorption was decreased. The overall CO2 absorption enhancement at 20 bar for 0.02 wt.% zeolite and ZnO water‐based nanofluids with 0.4% [C12mim][Cl] ionic liquid and 0.02 wt.% SDBS were 26.9%, 21.5%, 21.2%, and 17% in comparison to pure water, respectively. In an absorption process using nanofluids, besides the influence of the mentioned parameters, the micro‐convection caused by Brownian motion and the grazing effect of nanoparticles should be noted. Considering the micro‐convection and grazing effects, a theoretical model should take into account the Brownian motion and grazing effects on the mass transfer rate in nanofluids to investigate the absorption enhancement by nano‐particles.

Solid‐phase extraction based on PDMS/ionic liquid sponge followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry for rapid and sensitive determination of volatile components in lavender

Due to the complexity and the low concentrations of volatile components in aromatic plants, sample pretreatment is an important step in the whole analytical procedure. This study aimed to propose a novel, sensitive and fast approach to determine the volatile components in lavender. The 1-butyl-3-(propyltrimethoxysilane)imidazolium chloride ([BPtmsim]Cl) ionic liquid was introduced onto the surface of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to prepare a novel PDMS/[BPtmsim]Cl sponge with large surface area, good sorption performance, and reusability. A solid-phase extraction method was developed based on PDMS/[BPtmsim]Cl sponge combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The effects of the various experimental parameters on the extraction efficiency were investigated. The optimal conditions were [BPtmsim]Cl amount of 0.3g, 1:4 as the mass ratio of PDMS/[BPtmsim]Cl to lavender sample, microwave power of 700 W, microwave time of 10min, and n-hexane as the desorption solvent. The method validation results showed good linearity (10-800 μg/ml), high correlation coefficient (R2 ≥ 0.9991), low limits of detection (1.73-2.50 ng/μl), and limits of quantification (4.10-5.11 ng/μl). The interday and intraday precision with relative standard deviation (RSD) values were below 1.93% and 4.71%, respectively. Under the optimal extraction conditions, 16 lavender samples from three different species were analysed and a total of 57 volatile compounds were identified. The correlation between different species of lavender and volatile components was explored using principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). The results showed that PDMS/[BPtmsim]Cl extraction is a rapid, highly efficient, and sensitive technique for the determination of volatile components in complex plant samples.

Preparation of stable dieselwaste cooking oil microemulsion fuel using ionic liquid based benzimidazole derivatives: Fuel properties, particle size characteristics, and statistical investigation

Green microemulsions based on nontoxic oils and renewable components must be prepared and used because of the increasing demands of green chemistry and engineering. Fuel Microemulsions were prepared from ethanol in diesel/WCO blend (4:1) by using 2-heptadecyl-1,3-pentylbenzoimidazolium bromide (IL1) and 3-ethyl carboxylate-2-heptadecyl-1-pentylbenzoimidazolium chloride (IL2) ionic liquids as emulsifiers and 1-butanol as co-surfactant. Fuel Microemulsions were prepared as one hypothetical sample (Sh) and three alternative samples (S1, S2 and S3). Dynamic light scattering (DLS) analyses show that the ethanol mean particle size is 28 nm for Sh (IL1) microemulsion sample (up to 55 %) with a very narrow size distribution. The particle size of the prepared samples was noticed to be varied with the change in the microemulsion components percentage. The microemulsion fuels were characterized according to ASTM D975 minimal standards, and had properties close to that of the neat diesel. Distributions curves were studied by statistical analysis to determine the most appropriate mixing ratios between components based on the minimum particle size and the most homogeneity. The results show that the increasing diesel/WCO mixture causes the largest range with high variance of particle size distribution. The increasing of ethanol in sample makes the particle size become the largest among the other samples. Doubling the amount of IL1 or IL2 has low effect on the particle size. However, IL1 make the curve distribution more skew and kurtosis, on contrast, the IL2 has less skew and kurtosis compared with Sh samples of IL1 and IL2, respectively. The best results of the particle distribution obtained when the percentages of components are ethanol (7.4 %), co-surfactant (18.6 %) and the (diesel/WCO + IL1 or IL2) mixture (74 %). The mean particle size is 28 nm with a very narrow size distribution and high intensity up to 56 % for IL1 and 82 % for IL2. The particle sizes were measured for 50 days and the prepared samples show significant stability. Effect of ionic liquids and cosurfactant on solubilization of ethanol was tested.

Measurement and model of density, viscosity, and hydrogen sulfide solubility in ferric chloride/trioctylmethylammonium chloride ionic liquid

The density and viscosity of ferric chloride/trioctylmethylammonium chloride ionic liquid (rFeCl3/[A336]Cl) with different molar ratios (r = 0.1–0.8) of FeCl3 to [A336]Cl were measured at temperatures from 313.15 to 358.15 K and atmospheric pressure. The density and viscosity data were fitted by the relevant temperature variation equations, respectively. The variation of density and viscosity with temperature and r was obtained. The solubility of rFeCl3/[A336]Cl to H2S was measured at temperatures from 318.15 to 348.15 K and pressures from 0 to 150 kPa. The effects of temperature, pressure, and r on the solubility of H2S were discussed. The reaction equilibrium thermodynamic model (RETM) was used to fit the H2S solubility data, and the average relative error was less than 1.3%, indicating that the model can relate the solubility data well. And Henry's constant and chemical reaction equilibrium constant were obtained by the RETM fitting. The relationships of Henry's constant and chemical reaction equilibrium constant with temperature and r were analyzed.

Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) Synthesis from Starch with Zeolite Based Catalysts

AbstractIn the study, it is aimed to use effective zeolite‐based catalysts for the synthesis of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) from starch in different solvent environments. Al, Zn, and heteropolyacid (HPW) loaded USY zeolites are prepared and characterized using XRD, BET method, Inductive Coupling Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP‐MS), Pyridine‐DRIFTS, and X‐ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The efficiency of the prepared catalysts is investigated in 1‐Butyl‐3‐Methylimidazolium Chloride (BMIMCI) ionic liquid, DMSO, and THF solvents at different temperatures and reaction times for HMF synthesis. 24.5% HMF yield using Zn‐USY zeolite and 50.3% HMF yield using USY H‐zeolite is obtained in BMIMCI ionic liquid at 130 °C for 3 h. HMF yield of 47% is obtained using Zn‐USY zeolite catalyst at 160 °C in 4 h, at 170 °C in 2 h, and at 180 °C in 1 h in DMSO. In a two‐phase reaction medium with THF and H2O, the HMF yield is 46.8% at 160 °C in 4 h, 52.2% at 170 °C in 30 min, and 38.1% at 180 °C in 2 h with Zn‐USY zeolite catalyst. The reusability of the Zn‐USY zeolite has been tested and the efficiency of catalyst does not decrease in reuse for five times.

The physicochemical properties of selected imidazolium chloride ionic liquids in tetraethylene glycol: Experimental and computational approach

In this work, the influence of the side chain length of five ionic liquids (ILs) containing N3-substituted 1-methylimidazolium chloride ionic liquids, [Cnmim][Cl] (n = 0, 1, 2, 4, 6) on the interactions with tetraethylene glycol (TEG) was studied. Measuring the density and electrical conductivity of the IL + TEG mixtures in the temperature range (278.15–313.15) K, the values of physicochemical properties, such as apparent molar volume, apparent molar volume at infinite dilution, Masson’s interaction coefficient, limiting apparent molar expansibilities, Heppler’s coefficient, ion association constants, thermodynamic parameters of ion-pair formation, as well as diffusion coefficient were calculated. The results obtained from these experiments were supported by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. In comparation with systems containing ethylene–glycol (IL + EG), the calculated free volumes in TEG are about three times higher than in EG. Therefore, assuming that the packing effect is responsible for the lower apparent molar volume at infinite dilution, values in the TEG seem reasonable. The values of ion association constants in TEG are lower than in EG. The ion association process is spontaneous for all investigated ILs in TEG solutions and entropy-driven.

Theoretical Analysis of Physical and Chemical CO2 Absorption by Tri- and Tetraepoxidized Imidazolium Ionic Liquids.

The efficient capture of CO2 from flue gas or directly from the atmosphere is a key subject to mitigate global warming, with several chemical and physical absorption methods previously reported. Through polarizable molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and high-level quantum chemical (QC) calculations, the physical and chemical absorption of CO2 by ionic liquids based on imidazolium cations bearing oxirane groups was investigated. The ability of the imidazolium group to absorb CO2 was found to be prevalent in both the tri- and tetraepoxidized imidazolium ionic liquids (ILs) with coordination numbers over 2 for CO2 within the first solvation shell in both systems. Thermodynamic analysis of the addition of CO2 to convert epoxy groups to cyclic carbonates also indicated that the overall reaction is exergonic for all systems tested, allowing for chemical absorption of CO2 to also be favored. The rate-determining step of the chemical absorption involved the initial opening of the epoxy ring through addition of the chloride anion and was seen to vary greatly between the epoxy groups tested. Among the groups tested, the less sterically hindered monoepoxy side of the triepoxidized imidazolium was shown to be uniquely capable of undergoing intramolecular hydrogen bonding and thus lowering the barrier required for the intermediate structure to form during the reaction. Overall, this theoretical investigation highlights the potential for epoxidized imidazolium chloride ionic liquids for simultaneous chemical and physical absorption of CO2.

Application of the C–C3N4/Li2CoMn3O8//IL nanocomposite for design a sensitive electrochemical sensor inorder to detection of cetirizine, acetaminophen and phenylephrine in biological and pharmaceuticals samples

Due to the side effects of cetirizine overdose and the need to monitor its concentration in the human body, in this work, an electrochemical sensor has been prepared by utilizing a carbon paste electrode modified with Li2CoMn3O8/CC3N4 nanocomposite and ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium chloride ionic liquid ([EMIM][Cl]) to determine cetirizine in the human blood serum sample and urine as well as drug samples. Li2CoMn3O8/CC3N4 nanocomposite was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The investigation of the influence of each modifier component showed that the existence of all components in modification has a synergistic effect. Li2CoMn3O8/CC3N4/IL nanocomposite has a larger surface area relative to the components alone, thus providing a more fine-grained media to facilitate electron transfer during the reaction between analyte and electrode. Determination of cetirizine was performed in phosphate buffer solution with pH 7.0 and detection limits obtained in the concentration ranges of 0.03–0.9 and 3–300 μM was 11.8 × 10−9 M. The diffusion coefficient (D = 9.2 × 10−6 cm2s−1) of cetirizine at the surface of the modified electrode was determined by chronoamperometry. Finally, simultaneous detection of cetirizine, phenylephrine and acetaminophen was performed using the suggested sensor without any interference.

Adsorption Behavior of Vanadium Using Supported 1-Butyl-3-Methylimidazolium Chloride Ionic Liquid

ABSTRACT Imidazole-based ionic liquid 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride was immobilized on polymer support by chemical grafting and utilized to separate vanadium (V) from a vanadium-containing solution. Characterizations with elementary analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) proved the successful loading of the ionic liquid on the surface of the support. The adsorption capacity toward V(V) reached 222.42 mg/g under experimental conditions, which was significantly higher than that of the main impurity ions Fe(III) and Al(III). The adsorption capacity was maintained at 93.52% of the original value after 15 cycles, demonstrating the excellent cyclic stability of the supported ionic liquid.

Production of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural from glucose by recyclable heteropolyacid catalyst in ionic liquid

In this study, heteropolyacid catalyst (SiO 2 -ATS-PTA) was prepared by using silica as a supporter to convert glucose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). The structure and morphology of catalyst was characterized by ESEM, XPS, and Raman. The prepared SiO 2 -ATS-PTA was used in the conversion of glucose into HMF with 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([Emim]Cl) ionic liquid as solvent via the oil bath. The effect of the reaction time, temperature and catalyst dosage on the glucose conversion, HMF yield, and HMF selectivity was investigated. The highest HMF yield of 74.67% was obtained from glucose at 140 °C, 180 min, and 70 mg of catalyst. Furthermore, the reusability of the SiO 2 -ATS-PTA and ionic liquid was examined for 3 consecutive cycles. The results showed that the glucose conversion, HMF yield, and HMF selectivity only decrease by 4.63%, 4.74%, and 4.85%, respectively, after three times reused. This study puts forward SiO 2 -ATS-PTA as a recyclable heteropolyacid catalyst for the conversion of glucose to HMF, indicating a favorable application in the biorefinery. • HMF is prepared from glucose in [Emim]Cl with phosphotungstic acid solid catalyst . • The morphology and structure of SiO 2 -ATS-PTA was characterized. • The highest HMF yield of 74.67% was obtained from glucose at 140 °C, 180 min, and 70 mg of catalyst. • SiO 2 -ATS-PTA and [Emim]Cl could be reused without a significant loss of catalytic activity.

Screening of parameters and optimization for green recovery of anionic dye by nanoparticle-ionic liquid-based green emulsion liquid membrane using response surface methodology

An anionic dye, Procion Blue MX- R (PB MX-R) dye was recovered from aqueous feed solution utilizing green emulsion liquid membrane (GELM) technique. GELM was comprised of Rice Bran Oil, (1‑butyl‑3-methylimidazolium chloride) ionic liquid, (ZnO) nanoparticles, Span 80 as surfactant, and NaOH in the internal phase. Plackett-Burman Design was used to examine eleven operating parameters influencing recovery of PB MX-R dye. Further, operating conditions of thus obtained significant parameters for PB MX-R dye recovery by GELM were optimized and maximum recovery was predicted upon utilizing Box-Behnken Design. Under obtained optimized conditions for significant parameters, including PB MX-R dye concentration - 45 ppm, contact time - 12 min, agitation speed - 498.6 rpm, nanoparticle concentration - 0.06 (%, w/v), carrier concentration - 0.9 (%, v/v), and NaOH concentration - 0.095 N, confirmation experiments had validated the elimination of 98.71 ± 0.95 % for PB MX-R dye which was in close agreement with that of predicted one (99 %). Thereupon reusability of membrane phase constituents for reformulation of GELM after demulsification of dye enriched GELM for multiple-time recovery of PB MX-R dye was investigated. The study has confirmed that hence formulated GELM did not diminish and effectively eliminated PB MX-R dye until fifth cycle.

Core-shell assembly of ZrO2 nanoparticles with ionic liquid: a novel and highly efficient heterogeneous catalysts for Biginelli and esterification reactions.

Imidazolium sulfonic acid chloride grafted ZrO2 nanoparticles (ZrO2-IL) were synthesized through facile post-treatment of the nanoparticles with the imidazolium-sulfonic acid chloride ionic liquid. The immobilization of the ionic liquid over the ZrO2 nanoparticles was evident from the XRD, SEM, TEM, Raman, BET, and XPS analysis. The results obtained from the XRD analysis clearly show that the catalyst has an orthorhombic structure and from the BET analysis it is evident that the surface is mesoporous with uniform pore sizes and pore distribution. Further evidence of immobilization of ionic liquid over the ZrO2 NPs was obtained from the SEM, TEM, XPS, and Raman analysis. Under mild conditions, the synthesized heterostructure was used in the acid-catalyzed esterification of different acids. The ZrO2-IL catalyst converts 99% of the acid to ester with a 98.9% yield in 1h. The material was also shown to be highly efficient as catalyst for the Biginelli reaction under solvent-free conditions, with the catalyst for dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-one (DHPMs) in 1h with 99.2% conversion and 99% yield. The synergy between the ionic liquid catalyst and the substrates increased the catalytic efficiency and resulted in high-yield product conversion. The mechanism of both transformation reactions was investigated, as well as the synergy between ionic liquid and ZrO2 nanoparticles for better catalytic efficiency was established.

Hydrothermal reaction of cellulose in ionic liquid catalyzed by Er(OTf)3

This research explores the potential of ionic liquid to improve lactic acid yield of the hydrothermal reaction of cellulose. The research premise was that ionic liquid dissolved cellulose and water into liquid phase, which would facilitate the formation of glucose and lactic acid using water-tolerant catalyst Erbium (III) trifluoromethanesulfonate (Er(OTf)3). Contrary to the research premise, the experiment revealed that dissolving cellulose in ionic liquid prior to hydrothermal reaction lowered lactic acid yield while increasing hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) yield. The phenomenon could be attributed to dissociation of water and ionic liquid to give hydronium ion and chloride ion, which subsequently formed hydrochloric acid (HCl). HCl catalyzed cellulose into HMF, in addition to lactic acid. Pressure and pressurized gas had minimal impact on the yield of lactic acid, while the hydrothermal reaction was affected by type of cation and anion of ionic liquid. The highest lactic acid yield of 54.26% was achieved by using 1-butyl-3 methylimidazolium chloride ionic liquid, with 190 °C, 30-min, 10 bar CO2 initial pressure, and Er(OTf)3 50 wt% cellulose. Meanwhile, the highest HMF yield of 66.06% was realized with 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate in the absence of Er(OTf)3.

Effects of the Ionic Liquid [BMIM]Cl on the Baltic Microphytobenthic Communities

Ionic liquids (IL) are regarded as the solution to the modern world’s need to create and use compounds that exhibit a range of desirable properties while having a low environmental impact. However, recent reports are shattering the image of ionic liquids as environmentally friendly substances, especially in relation to the aquatic environment, revealing their potentially toxic effects. To assess the potential environmental impact of ILs, we conducted an experiment involving 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([BMIM]Cl), a substance considered to be the least hazardous among the imidazolium chloride ILs, on Baltic microphytobenthic communities. Microphytobenthos collected from the environment was tested under controlled laboratory conditions, and both the cell counts and the chloroplast condition were used as endpoints. It was shown that [BMIM]Cl at concentrations of 10−3 and 10−2, considered safe based on a cumulative impact assessment, has a negative effect on the condition of the microalgal cells and causes a reduction in population size. Although, under the influence of [BMIM]Cl, only a small proportion of the species was eliminated from the communities, only two species among those important to the communities showed resistance to this compound and eventually began to dominate the communities.