Organo-niobate ionic liquids: Synthesis, characterization and application as acid catalyst in Pechmann reactions

The combinations of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride with NbCl5 yielded ionic mixtures with different melting point temperatures and acidity depending on the niobium molar fraction. The mixtures were characterized by thermal (DSC) and spectroscopic (FT-IR and H-1 NMR) analysis. The Pechmann reactions of different phenols with ethylacetoacetate, producing coumarins, was used as model to evaluate the catalytic behavior of these mixtures as acid Lewis catalyst. These reactions were carried out using acidic mixtures of 60 mol%.