Structure and properties of new ionic liquids based on alkyl- and alkenyltrifluoroborates.

A new series of low-melting, low-viscosity, hydrophilic ionic liquids, which comprise 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ([EMI]+) and alkyl(alkenyl)trifluoroborate anions ([RBF3]-, R=n-C(m)H(2m+1) (m=1-5), CH2CH), were prepared and characterized. The phase-transition behavior, thermal stability, density, viscosity, conductivity, and surface tension of these salts were measured. The influence of the structural variations, such as changing the length and fluorination of the alkyl chain (R) in the anion [RBF3]-, on the above properties was extensively investigated. The low viscosity of these [RBF3]- salts suggests that a high degree of freedom and/or a somewhat flat-shaped feature in the anion make an important contribution to reducing the viscosity. The Walden products for each salt are not constant and vary with temperature, which suggests that the ions in these salts are not completely dissociated.