Organometallic Ionic Liquids Containing Sandwich Complexes: Molecular Design, Physical Properties, and Chemical Reactivities

Ionic liquids (ILs) are salts with low melting points and are useful as electrolytes and solvents. We have developed ILs containing cationic metal complexes, which form a family of functional liquids that exhibit unique physical properties and chemical reactivities originating from metal complexes. Our study explores the liquid chemistry in the field of coordination chemistry, where solid-state chemistry is currently the main focus. This review describes the molecular design, physical properties, and reactivities of organometallic ILs containing sandwich or half-sandwich complexes. This paper mainly covers stimuli-responsive ILs, whose magnetic properties, solvent polarities, colors, or structures change by the application of external fields, such as light, heat, and magnetic fields, or by reaction with coordinating molecules.

Automated summary

Ionic liquids (ILs) with cationic metal complexes have unique physical properties and chemical reactivities. This review focuses on the molecular design, physical properties, and reactivities of organometallic ILs containing sandwich or half-sandwich complexes. It mainly covers stimuli-responsive ILs that can change their magnetic properties, solvent polarities, colors, or structures by external fields or reaction with coordinating molecules.