Synthesis and characterization of hybrid molecular material prepared by ionic liquid and silicotungstic acid

A white colour IL-SiWA hybrid molecular material has been synthesized using 1-butyl 3-methyl imidazolium bromide ionic liquid and silicotungstic acid. The material is found to dissolve in polar organic solvent such as DMSC, but not in water. It is characterized by CHN analysis, FTIR, XRD, UV-vis DRS, TGA and SEM. The FTIR spectra indicate the formation of a hybrid compound showing fingerprint vibrational bands of both Keggin ions of silicotungstic acid and imidazolium ions. There is a strong evidence of interaction between the Keggin anions and imidazolium cations from the UV-vis DR spectra and the splitting of imidazolium C-H bands in the IR spectrum of the IL-SiWA. The near IR shows loss of crystallization water from heteropoly acid when it reacts with ionic liquid forming the hybrid molecular material. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.