Ecofriendly fast synthesis of hydrophilic poly(ethyleneglycol)-ionic liquid matrices for liquid-phase organic synthesis

New, hydrophilic poly(ethyleneglycol)-ionic liquids have been synthesized and investigated, based on 1,3-disubstituted imidazolium cations and fluorinated anions (BF4-, PF6-, (CF3SO2)(2)-N-, or NTf2-). A series of typical solvent-free reactions have been safely realized using a focused microwave reactor for the preparation of imidazolium chloride precursors in yields ranging from 73 to 94% followed by quantitative anion metathesis exchanges. The poly(ethyleneglycol) -ionic liquid matrices were also characterized by NMR (H-1, C-13), mass spectrometry (MS), and their dynamic viscosity was determined at 25 degreesC. These poly(ethyleneglycol)-ionic liquid phases (PEG-ILPs) as task-specific ionic liquids are promising tools for synthetic applications in liquid-phase combinatorial chemistry.