Ionic liquids: phase diagram characterisation with combined SAXS-WAXS

1-alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium (Cn-mim) salts are examples of ionic liquids (ILs).[1] In these salts, the cation is a bulky organic molecule: accordingly, due to factors such as the hindered ion packing and low charge density, the melting point is relatively low compared with conventional inorganic salts. As a consequence, it is possible to synthesise ILs which are liquid at room temperature. These materials have been used as solvents for a variety of applications, such as (bio-) catalysis for green chemistry [2], electrochemistry [3] and photochemistry [4]. The ionic nature of these solvents leads to peculiar performance in the selectivity and kinetics of many chemical reactions, thus opening new routes for smart processing. These properties, together with the very low vapour pressure, good thermal stability, the high solubility of a variety of gaseous (e.g. O2, H2), organic and inorganic species and their easy handling, make this new class of materials extremely appealing for developing novel synthetic tools with a negligible environmental impact.