Proton transfer in protic ionic liquids is poorly understood. Some acid/base proton transfer reactions do not proceed to the extent that is expected from Delta pK(a)(aq) data from aqueous solutions, yet some do. In this work we have investigated protic ionic liquids obtained by proton transfer from a common acid, acetic acid, to a range of amine bases of similar pK(a)(aq) values. Probe indicator observations, transport property data allowing the construction of Walden plots and computational studies all suggest that there is a clear distinction between the behaviour of simple primary vs. tertiary amines, the proton transfer being more complete in the former case than the latter. The origins of this seem to be related to the hydrogen bonding ability of the ammonium ions in providing a good solvating environment for the ions produced by the proton transfer.

Why not consider liquid salt forms of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) as an alternative versatile tool in the pharmaceutical industry? Recent developments have shown that known APIs can be readily converted into ionic liquids and that these novel phases often possess different properties (e.g., improved solubilities and dissolution rates), which may have a direct impact on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the drug. They may also offer the potential of novel and more efficient delivery modes, as well as patent protection for each of the new forms of the drug. Since these pharmaceutically active ionic liquids represent a thermodynamically stable phase, they avoid the troublesome issues surrounding polymorphism and "polymorphic transformation." In some cases, an active cation and an active anion can be combined to produce a liquid possessing dual functionality. Here we examine and challenge the current industry reliance on crystalline APIs by discussing the breadth and potential impact of liquid salts as a possible approach to phase control.

A series of new protic compounds based on active pharmaceutical ingredients have been synthesised and characterised. Some of the salts synthesised produced ionic liquids, while others that were associated with rigid molecular structures tended to produce high melting points. The "protonic" behaviour of these compounds was found to be a major determinant of their properties. Indicator studies, FTIR-ATR and transport properties (Walden plot) were used to probe the extent of proton transfer and ion association in these ionic liquids. While proton transfer was shown to have taken place in all cases, the Walden plot indicated strong ion association in the primary amine based examples due to hydrogen bonding. This was further explored via crystal structures of related compounds, which showed that extended hydrogen bonded clusters tend to form in these salts. These clusters may dictate membrane transport properties of these compounds in vivo.

We show that pharmaceutically active protic ionic liquids can be designed to rapidly transport through model membranes as neutral hydrogen bonded clusters.

We describe a series of novel compounds designed to combat the bacterial growth that leads to microbially induced corrosion on steel in the marine environment. A synergistic effect of the ionic components in these dual active organic salts is demonstrated.