Thermal behavior analysis as a valuable tool for comparing ionic liquids of different classes

Ionic liquids (ILs) are neoteric solvents characterized by unique physicochemical properties and considerable structural variability. The thermal behavior of 24 ILs, belonging to two structurally related families with either bromide or Tf2N as counteranion, was analyzed. For bromide mono- and dicationic ionic liquids (DILs), thermal gravimetric analysis showed similar decomposition events, with only small gain in stability for a few members of the latter class. Conversely, all Tf2N DILs displayed higher stabilities (up to 34 K) than the corresponding monocations, thus highlighting the different role played by the two counteranions. Mono- and dicationic ILs bearing a reactive group on the imidazolium substituent resulted instead the least stable ILs studied. Differential scanning calorimetry analyses of most of the (D)ILs only showed glass transition temperatures, a behavior in agreement with the broad liquid range of ILs. The impact of the cationic structure and/or of the type of anion on the above-mentioned transition temperatures has been studied. The apparent activation energy (Ea) and the fragility index (m) for some (D)ILs have also been obtained. Finally, a few bromide (D)ILs presented peculiar thermal events.