Protonation of the anion in an ionic liquid plays a key role in the hypergolic reaction between ionic liquids and oxidizers such as white fuming nitric acid. To investigate the influence of the cation on the protonation reaction, the deprotonation energy of a set of cations has been calculated at the MP2 level of theory. Specifically, guanidinium, dimethyltriazanium, triethylamine, N-ethyl-N-methyl-pyrrolidinium, N-ethyl-pyridinium, 1,4-dimethyl-1,2,4-triazolium, 1-ethyl-4-methyl-1,2,4-triazolium, and 1-butyl-4-methyl-1,2,4-triazolium were studied. In addition, the net proton transfer energies from the cations to a set of previously studied anions was calculated, demonstrating an inverse correlation between the net proton transfer energy and the likelihood that the cation/anion combination will react hypergolically with white fuming nitric acid. It is suggested that this correlation occurs due to a balance between the energy released by the proton transfer and the rate of proton transfer as determined by the ionicity of the ionic liquid.

Developing a better understanding of the bulk properties of ionic liquids requires accurate measurements of the underlying molecular properties that help to determine the bulk behavior. Two computational methods are used in this work: second-order perturbation theory (MP2) and completely renormalized coupled cluster theory [CR-CC(2,3)], to calculate the proton affinity and ionization potential of a set of anions that are of interest for use in protic, energetic ionic liquids. Compared with experimental values, both methods predict similarly accurate proton affinities, but CR-CC(2,3) predicts significantly more accurate ionization potentials. It is concluded that more time intensive methods like CR-CC(2,3) are required in calculations involving open shell states like the ionization potential.

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