Do the Ionic Bonds in Ionic Liquids Provide Access to Unique Solid State Chemistry?

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The overarching goal of this research is to understand the nature of ionic bonding in Ionic Liquids (ILs, salts which are liquid at low temperatures) and multi-ion fluids such that tools and strategies can be developed which become generally accepted synthetic methodologies, complementing conventional manipulations of the covalent bond and the use of molecular reagents and solvents. The research is designed around three major scientific questions where the combination of unique ion-ion interactions and solid state chemistry can lead to new solid state materials or can drive new chemical reactions and provide key information, particularly of relevance for the nuclear, mining, and pharma industries. (1) Why do actinides have a greater affinity for soft Lewis bases than lanthanides? (2) Can ILs be simultaneously redox, directing, and dehydrating agents while also being ligands and crystallization media? (3) Are unique polymorphic forms possible in ionic solvents? Objective 1 explores ways to force unusual chemical bonding in compounds containing f-elements by providing unique ionic environments in the liquid state at low temperatures. This question is particularly important in the study of the fate and transport of these metals in the environment or in separations of these metals from spent nuclear fuel. Objective 2 is aimed at exploring ILs as reaction media for making solid state materials, where their tremendous structural diversity allows one to mimic and exceed the reactive and solvating properties of water. Objective 3 explores the tunable yet fully ionic environment of ILs to enable access to new solid forms of pharmaceutical salts to provide fundamental understanding of the effects of ionic interactions on nucleation and crystallization. This research will use discovery to learn how to design and control the ionic bonding found in ILs and related multi-ion fluids and thus reinvigorate classical research areas which study ions, such as f-element separations, inorganic materials synthesis, mining, and pharmaceutical salts. New paradigms for chemical synthesis based on manipulation of ionic bonds will lead to potential advances of importance to Canada’s nuclear, mining, environmental remediation, and pharmaceutical industries.