Solvent-free preparation of ionic liquids using a household microwave
oven*
Rajender S. Varma and Vasudevan V. Namboodiri
Clean Processes Branch, National Risk Management Research
Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, MS 443, 26 W. Martin
Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
Abstract: An efficient solventless protocol for the preparation
of a wide variety of ionic liquids is described, which requires a simple
exposure of admixed 1-methylimidazole and alkyl halides to microwave
irradiation in open glass containers. The details of this clean process
using a common household microwave oven, which exploits the newer inverter
technology system for better power attenuation, are described. The characterization
and thermal stability data on selected ionic liquids and their potential
applications are summarized.
*Lecture presented at the IUPAC CHEMRAWN
XIV Conference on Green Chemistry:Toward Environmentally Benign Processes
and Products, Boulder,Colorado, USA, 9-13 June 2001. Other presentations
are published in this issue, pp.1229 1330.