Supported ionic liquids: versatile reaction and separation media

The latest developments in supported ionic liquid phase (SILP) systems for catalysis and separation technology are surveyed. The SILP concept combines the advantages of homogeneous catalysis with heterogeneous process technology, and a variety of reactions have been studied where supported ionic liquid catalysts proved to be more active and selective than common systems. In separation applications the use of supported ionic liquids can facilitate selective transport of substrates across membranes.