Ionic Liquids

Ionic liquids constitute a class of salts that are liquid below 100 °C and usually even below room temperature. The first room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) ([EtNH3][NO3]) was discovered in 1914. Since that time, numerous ionic liquids have been developed either as solvents or for specific synthetic problems.

As solvents, ionic liquids can dissolve a wide range of organic and inorganic species. Their lack of a measurable vapor pressure, their non-flammability, and their high thermal stability make them attractive “green” substitutes for classic organic solvents. Ionic liquids often consist of an organic non symmetrical cation (methylimidazolium ion = mim or pyridinium ion = py) and a poorly coordinating inorganic counterion (BF4-). A subtle choice of the components enables to design air stable, water stable, water insoluble,...ionic liquids.

But… are they really safe ? see this External Link

Otherwise, task specific ionic liquids offer appealing properties for high throughput combinatorial chemistry and microwave-assisted reactions.

Our contribution in the field is essentially based on a long-term collaboration with Prof. J.P. Bazureau at the University of Rennes 1 (France).


  • Synthesis of 3,5-Disubstituted 1,2,4-Oxadiazoles Using Ionic Liquid-phase Organic Synthesis (IoLiPOS) Methodology. L. DUCHET, J.-C. LEGEAY, D. CARRIÉ, L. PAQUIN, J.J. VANDEN EYNDE, J.P. BAZUREAU. Tetrahedron, 66, 986 (2010)
  • Synthesis and Application of Ionic Liquid Phase-Supported ß-Aminocrotonate for Access OF ASYMMETRIC 1,4-DIHYDROPYRIDINES. J.-C. LEGEAY, D. CARRIÉ, L. PAQUIN, J.J. VANDEN EYNDE, J.P. BAZUREAU. Heterocycl. Commun., 15, 91 (2009)
  • Ionic Liquid Phase Organic Synthesis (IoLiPOS) Methodology Applied to the Preparation of New 3,4-Dihydropyrimidine-2(1H)-ones Bearing Bioisostere Group in N-3 Position. J.C. LEGEAY, J.J. VANDEN EYNDE, J.P. BAZUREAU. Tetrahedron, 64, 5328 (2008).
  • From a Three-component Synthesis to Multistep Cascade Reactions. Twenty Years in the Chemistry of N-(1-Haloalkyl)azinium Halides. J.J. VANDEN EYNDE, A. MAYENCE. Arkivoc, Part (iii), 96 (2007).
  • Sequential Synthesis of a New Analogue of Amlodipine Bearing a Short Amino Polyethyleneglycol Chain. J.C. LEGEAY, J.J. VANDEN EYNDE, J.P. BAZUREAU. Tetrahedron, 63, 12081 (2007)
  • A New Approach to N-3 Functionalized 3,4-Dihydropyrimidine-2(1H)-ones With 1,2,4-Oxadiazole Group as Amide Isostere via Ionic Liquid Phase Technology. J.C. LEGEAY, J.J. VANDEN EYNDE, J.P. BAZUREAU. Tetrahedron Lett.,48, 1063 (2007).
  • A Three-component Condensation Protocol Based on Ionic Liquid Phase Bound Acetoacetate for the Synthesis of Biginelli 3,4-Dihydropyrimidine-2(1H)-ones. J.C. LEGEAY, J.J. VANDEN EYNDE, L. TOUPET, J.P. BAZUREAU. Arkivoc, Part (iii), 13 (2007).
  • Liquid-phase Synthesis of Polyhydroquinoline Using Task-specific Ionic Liquid Technology. J.C. LEGEAY, J.Y. GOUJON, J.J. VANDEN EYNDE, L. TOUPET, J.P. BAZUREAU. J. Comb. Chem., 8, 829 (2006).
  • Ionic Liquid Phase Technology Supported the Three Component Synthesis of Hantzsch 1,4-Dihydropyridines and Biginelli 3,4-Dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones under Microwave Dielectric Heating. J.-C. LEGEAY, J.J. VANDEN EYNDE, J.P. BAZUREAU. Tetrahedron, 61, 12386 (2005).
  • Novel Isothiocyanato Ester Appended to Task Specific Ionic Liquid as New Tools for Ionic Liquid Phase Organic Synthesis (Iolipos). H. HAKKOU, J.J. VANDEN EYNDE, J. HAMELIN, J.P. BAZUREAU. Synthesis, 1793 (2004).

  • Task-specific Ionic Liquids R. GIERNOTH Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 49, 2834 (2010)
  • Do We Understand the Recyclability of Ionic Liquids ? B. WU, W. LIU, Y. ZHANG, H. WANG. Chem.-A Eur. J., 15, 1804 (2009)
  • Ionic liquids Austr. J. Chem. 62(4) (2009), thematic issue
  • Ionic Liquids in Heterocyclic Chemistry M. MARTINS, C.P. FRIZZO, D.N. MOREIRA, N. ZANATTA, H.G. BONACORSO. Chem. Rev., 108, 2015 (2008)
  • Applications of Chiral Ionic Liquids K. BICA, P. GAERTNER, Eur. J. Org. Chem., 3235 (2008).
  • Applications of Ionic Liquids in the Chemical Industry N.V. PLECHKOVA, K.R. SEDDON, Chem. Soc. Rev. 37, 123 (2008).
  • Ionic liquids Accounts Chem. Res. 40(11), (2007) thematic issue
  • Ionic liquids Monatsh. Chem. 138(11), (2007) thematic issue
  • Papers from the 1st International Congress on Ionic Liquids (COIL). Green Chem. 8(3), (2006); thematic issue.
  • Functionalized Imidazolium Salts for Task-specific Ionic Liquids and their Applications. S.G. LEE. Chem. Commun., 1049 (2006).
  • Toxicity and Antimicrobial Activity of Imidazolium and Pyridinium Ionic Liquids. K.M. DOCHERTY, C.F. KULPA. Jr. Green Chem., 7, 185 (2005).
  • Ionic Liquids. Aust. J. Chem., 57(2), (2004); thematic issue.
  • Room Temperature Ionic Liquids. Solvents for Synthesis and Catalysis. T. WELTON. Chem. Rev., 99, 2071 (1999).
  • External Link: Sigma Aldrich Website
  • External Link: Merk Chemichal Website