B. García

High-Pressure Study of the Methylsulfate and Tosylate Imidazolium Ionic Liquids

The considerable interest aroused in recent years by the unique properties and industrial applications of ionic liquids has given rise to the need for a detailed statement of the linkage between their molecular features and the observed macroscopic behavior. A combined experimental/computational approach to the study of ionic liquids is submitted here and applied to the relevant, nonhalogenated ionic liquids 1,3-dimethylimidazolium methylsulfate and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tosylate. To establish a reliable equation of state pertinent to these fluids, density data over wide pressure (0.1-60 MPa) and temperature (318.15-428.15 K) ranges, along with high pressure (1-70 MPa) viscosities and other selected ambient pressure properties were measured to assemble sufficient experimental information for the seek of predictive models for process design. A computational method based on ab initio and classical molecular dynamics yielded a deal of structural information, borne out by the experimental readings. Likewise, the predictive ability of the force field applied in molecular dynamics simulations was faced with the measured properties. The pictorial description of the selected ionic liquids reached this way may become widespread to other relevant examples in order to infer valuable structure/property relationships.

Solvent effects on the thermodynamics and kinetics of coralyne self-aggregation.

The role of solvent effects on the thermodynamics and kinetics of the coralyne self-aggregation process has been investigated in ethanol-water mixtures of different compositions. The changes in the UV/visible spectra of coralyne and FAB/LSIMS mass spectrometry agreed well with the formation of a dimer species. 1D and 2D 1H experiments have allowed one to look into the features of the self-aggregation process and to determine the equilibrium constant and the deltaH0 and deltaS0 values for the aggregate formation in 0-50% ethanol-water mixtures. The kinetics of self-aggregation has been investigated by the T-jump chemical relaxation method, and the results have been interpreted in terms of dimer formation. The dependence of the relative viscosity of coralyne solutions on the dye concentration was studied in different ethanol-water mixtures. Finally, it was found that coralyne behaves as a solvatochromic indicator which is preferentially solvated according to the sequence ethanol > ethanol-water > water. All of the results concur in elucidating the relevant role of the hydrophobic interaction process of coralyne stack formation.