Specific Solvation Interactions of CO2 on Acetate and Trifluoroacetate Imidazolium Based Ionic Liquids at High Pressures

New classes of acidic or basic ionic liquids (ILs) are gaining special attention, since the efficiency of many processes can be enhanced by the judicious manipulation of these properties. The absorption of sour gases can be enhanced by the basic character of the IL. The fluorination of the cation or the anion can also contribute to enhance the gas solubility. In this work these two characteristics are evaluated through the study of the gas-liquid equilibrium of two ionic liquids based on similar anions, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C(4)mim] [Ac]) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoroacetate ([C(4)mim] [TFA]), with carbon dioxide (CO2) at temperatures up to 363 K and pressures up to 76 MPa. The data reported are shown to be thermodynamically consistent. Henry's constants estimated from the experimental data show the solubility of CO2 on the [C(4)mim][Ac] to be spontaneous unlike in [C(4)mim][TFA] due to the differences in solvation enthalpies in these systems. Ab initio calculations were performed on simple intermolecular complexes of CO2 with acetate and trifluoroacetate using MP2/6-31G(d) and the G3 and G3MP2 theoretical procedures to understand the interactions between CO2 and the anions. The theoretical study indicates that although both anions exhibit a simultaneous interaction of the two oxygen of the carboxylate group with the CO2, the acetate acts as a stronger Lewis base than the trifluoroacetate. C-13 high-resolution and magic angle spinning (HRMAS) NMR spectra provide further evidence for the acid/base solvation mechanism and the stability of the acetate ion on these systems. Further similarities and differences observed between the two anions in what concerns the solvation of CO2 are discussed.