The polarity of a series of ionic liquids (ILs) based on hydroxyethyl-imidazolium moiety with various anions ([PF(6)], [NTf(2)], [ClO(4)], [DCA], [NO(3)], [AC], and [Cl]) and their corresponding nonhydroxyl ILs was investigated by solvatochromic dyes and fluorescence probe molecules. Most of the nonhydroxyl ILs exhibit anion-independent polarity with similar E(T)(30) in the narrow range of 50.7-52.6 kcal/mol, except [EMIm][AC] (49.7 kcal/mol). However, the polarity of the hydroxyl ILs covers a rather wide range (E(T)(30) = 51.2-61.7 kcal/mol) and is strongly anion-dependent. According to their E(T)(30) or E(T)(33) values, the hydroxyl ILs can be further classified into the following three groups: (Iota) acetate-based hydroxyl ILs [HOEMIm][AC] exhibit polarity scale (E(T)(30) = 51.2 kcal/mol) similar to short chain alcohol and fall in the range of the nonhydroxyl ILs; (II) Hydroxyl ILs containing anions [NO(3)], [DCA], and [Cl] exhibit comparable polarity (E(T)(30) = 55.5-56.9 kcal/mol), moderately higher than those of their nonhydroxyl ILs; (III) Hydroxyl ILs containing anions [PF(6)], [NTf(2)], and [ClO(4)] possess unusual "hyperpolarity" (E(T)(30) = 60.3-61.7 kcal/mol) close to protic ILs and water. Kamlet-Taft parameters and density functional theory calculations indicated that the greatly expanded range of polarity of hydroxyl ILs is correlated to an intramolecular synergistic solvent effect of the ionic hydrogen-bonded HBD/HBA complexes generated by intrasolvent HBD/HBA association between the anions and the hydroxyl group on cations, wherein hydroxyl group exhibits a significant differentiating effect on the strength of H-bonding and thus the polarity. Spiropyran-merocyanine equilibrium acted as a model polarity-sensitive reaction indeed shows obviously polarity-dependent solvatochromism, photochromism, and thermal reversion in hydroxyl ILs.

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