Ionic substances with melting points at or close to room temperature are referred to as ionic liquids. Interest in ionic liquids for their potential in different chemical processes is increasing, because they are environmentally benign and are good solvents for a wide range of both organic and inorganic materials. In this study, a capillary electrophoretic method for resolving phenolic compounds found in grape seed extracts is reported. The method, in which 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium-based ionic liquids are used as the running electrolytes, is simple and reproducible. The separation mechanism seems to involve association between the imidazolium cations and the polyphenols. The role of the alkyl substituents on the imidazolium cations was investigated and will be discussed.

The ligand tris(2-hydroxyiminopropyl)amine (Ox(3)H(3)) binds to nickel(II) in multiple protonation states. In the neutral state, the X-ray crystal structure of the monomeric complex [Ni(Ox(3)H(3))(NO(3))(H(2)O)](NO(3)).(H(2)O), 1, has six-coordinate pseudo-octahedral geometry, with binding of the amine and three oxime nitrogens, a nitrate, and a water. In the mono-deprotonated form, the X-ray crystal structure shows a dimer, [Ni(Ox(3)H(2))(CH(3)CN)](2)(ClO(4))(2), 2, which has bridging oximate groups and a Ni-Ni distance of 3.575 A. The fully deprotonated complex, 3, shows significantly low Ni(II) oxidation potentials at -390 and +165 mV (versus Fc(+)/Fc). Complex 3 shows reactivity when exposed to O(2), consuming multiple O(2) equivalents and turning from the purple 3 to a dark brown complex, 4. Complex 4 has an EPR spectrum consistent with Ni(III), but spin quantitation accounts for only about 10% of the total Ni, consistent with turnover of the Ni oxidation states. This Ni(II)/O(2) system oxidizes triphenylphosphine to its oxide, with incorporation of the isotopic label from O(2).