A new family of ionic liquids based on the 1-alkyl-2-methyl pyrrolinium cation

Five new salts based on 1-alkyl-2-methyl pyrrolinium ion are reported, two involving the iodide ion and three involving the bis(trifluoromethanesiilfonyl) amide ion. The iodide salts have melting points around 100 degreesC, while the amide salts have melting points around room temperature. Two of the amide salts can be easily quenched into the glassy state and exhibit glass transition temperatures around -70 degreesC. The 2-methyl pyrrolinium cation bears structural similarities to the aromatic imidazolium cations on one hand and the cyclic ammonium cation family based on the pyrrolidinium cation on the other. The properties of the salts reported here are compared within these two related families of salts. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.