The reactions of imidazolium-based ionic liquids having different substituent groups on the ring with hydrated electrons (e − aq ), hydroxyl radicals ( OH), and sulfate anion radicals (SO 4 − ) were investigated using nanosecond pulse radiolysis techniques. The spectra of these ionic liquids on reaction with e aq − all exhibited a similar peak at about 320 nm, and a typical peak for e − aq in aqueous ionic liquid solutions. The reaction rate constants for 1,3-disubstituted imidazolium-based ionic liquid hexafluorophosphates (BMIPF 6 ) with e aq − were deduced to be 10 10 L mol −1 s −1 , however the values were lower for trisubstituted ionic liquids. For example, the rate constant for 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMMIBF 4 ) was 5.5×10 9 L mol −1 s −1 . Imidazolium-based ionic liquids reacted with hydroxyl radicals via adducts to produce a mixture of isomeric OH adducts, and the pk a value of the OH adducts was deduced to be 8.4±0.4 for 1-butyl-3-methylimdazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIBF 4 ). Moreover, imidazolium cations were also oxidized by SO 4 − to produce bivalent cation radicals, which exhibit a peak at 320 nm, and these rate constants are of the same order of magnitude, i.e., 10 9 L mol −1 s −1 , except that for 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3-methylimdazolium tetrafluoroborate with SO 4 − (k=2.8×10 8 L mol −1 s −1 ). Theoretical calculations were carried out to estimate the structures of the products of reduction by e aq − and the results were related to the experimental data.pulse radiolysis, imidazolium-based ionic liquids, kinetics, rate constants
Citation:Fu H Y, Xing Z G, Cao X Y, et al. Pulse radiolysis studies of functionally substituted imidazolium-based ionic liquids.