Anion Influence on Aggregation Behavior of Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquid in Aqueous Solutions: Effect on Diverse Chemical Processes

Ionic liquids (ILs) have been proven to be a special class of materials with wide applications including the formation of aggregates of micellar type that are of most industrial interest. In this work, we analyzed the effect of 1-alkyl-3methylimidazolium bromide/tetrafluorborate in aqueous solution ([Cnmim] [Br]/[BF4] +W) upon three chemical processes taken as models. It was possible to obtain information about how these systems are organized, their structures, and the function of the counterion in the formation of this structure. We confirmed that the counterion participation is crucial in the micellization process. It was clear that the systems [C-8,(10),(12)mim] [Br] are better organized than those with counterion [BF4]. In the last case, it was possible to prove the formation of micelles only for [C(12)mim] [BF4]. These results show features of interest when designing ILs with amphiphilic characteristics.