Ionic liquids and their use

摘要

Ionic compounds having a freezing point of no more than 50° C., formed by the reaction of at least one amine salt of the formula R¹R²R³R⁴N⁺X^- (I) with at least one hydrated salt, which is a chloride, nitrate, sulphate or acetate of Li, Mg, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Bi, La or Ce; wherein R¹, R² and R³ are each independently a C₁ to C₅ alkyl or a C₆ to C₁₀ cycloalkyl group, or wherein R² and R³ taken together represent a C₄ to C₁₀ alkylene group, thereby forming with the N atom of formula (I) a 5 to 11 membered heterocyclic ring, and wherein R⁴ is hydrogen, or phenyl, or C₁ to C₁₂ alkyl or cycloalkyl group, optionally substituted with at least one group selected from OH, Cl, Br, F, I, phenyl, NH₂, CN, NO₂, COOR₅, CHO, COR⁵ and OR⁵, wherein R⁵ is a C₁ to C₁₀ alkyl or cycloalkyl group, and X^- is an anion capable of being complexed by the said hydrated salt. The compounds are useful as solvents, electrolytes, and catalysts, and have particular application in solvents/electrolytes for metal plating and electropolishing processes, in particular in chromium plating.