Constructing protic porous ionic liquids via one-step coupling neutralization reaction for extraction-adsorption coupled desulfurization

Porous ionic liquids (PILs) offer a distinctive combination of liquid-like fluidity and solid porosity, making them well-suited for various applications including separation, catalysis, and energy storage. Nevertheless, the design limitations and complex synthesis processes have hindered the development of PILs. Here, the one-step coupling neutralization reaction (OCNR) method has been first proposed for the controllable synthesis of functionalized protic porous ionic liquids (PPILs). Specifically, three types of PPILs have been synthesized based on tuning the position of the corona amino functional groups. The results indicate the crucial role of protic ion pairs in the formation of pure liquid PPILs with low viscosity. The extraction efficiency has obviously increased after introducing the porous materials from 38.5% to 51.9%. The results showed PPILs play good extraction adsorption coupled desulfurization (EADS) performance. The density functional theory (DFT) results show that both the protic ion pairs and the porous structure have significant roles in EADS, with the former offering C-H & BULL;& BULL;& BULL;& pi; interactions, while the latter provides hydrogen bonding (C-H & BULL;& BULL;& BULL;O) interactions. Ultimately, the strategy simplifies the synthesis process, providing a new idea for the directional design of low-viscosity PILs with specific functions.

Automated summary

The one-step coupling neutralization reaction (OCNR) method was proposed for the controllable synthesis of functionalized protic porous ionic liquids (PPILs). Three types of PPILs were synthesized based on tuning the position of the corona amino functional groups. The results showed that protic ion pairs and porous structure played crucial roles in the formation of PPILs and their extraction adsorption coupled desulfurization (EADS) performance.