Ionic liquids

Ionic liquids (ILs) can be formed from a combination of anions and cations, each with very distinct properties. However, there is no standard methodology for their synthesis. In this Primer, Koutsoukos et al. outline the considerations, advantages and disadvantages of various synthetic routes for ILs.

Liquid−liquid transitions (LLTs) have been reported for some molecular systems but are difficult to observe under high pressure conditions. Here the authors report and characterize a first-order LLT in a series of ionic liquids containing the trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium cation and anions of different sizes and shapes, using calorimetric and dielectric measurements.