Distribution of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium ions and their ion pairs between dichloromethane and water.

The distribution behavior of the salts of a series of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium cations (RMeIm(+); R = butyl, hexyl, and octyl) with tetrafluoroborate (BF(4)(-)), hexafluorophosphate (PF(6)(-)), bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide (NTf(2)(-)), and 2,4,6-trinitrophenolate (Pic(-)) anions has been investigated in a dichloromethane-water system at 25 degrees C. The distribution constants (K(D)) of the ion pairs and the transfer activity coefficients ((o)gamma(w)) of the single ions were determined. For the ion pairs with a given anion, the log K(D) value increases linearly with the number of methylene groups (N(CH2)) in the cation, which can be explained by using the regular solution theory. A similar relationship was observed between log (o)gamma(w) and N(CH2) for the free RMeIm(+) ions, and the result was discussed by decomposing the transfer activity coefficient into the Born-type electrostatic contribution and the non-electrostatic one. For the free anions and their ion pairs with a given cation, the (o)gamma(w) and K(D) values increase with increasing molar volume of the anion: i.e., BF(4)(-) < PF(6)(-) < Pic(-) < NTf(2)(-). The features of the RMeIm(+) salts in the liquid-liquid distribution and the ion-pair formation in water are also discussed by comparing the present results with those of tetraalkylammonium salts previously reported.