Supported ionic liquids: ordered mesoporous silicas containing covalently linked ionic species

Ordered mesoporous silicas with hexagonal or lamellar architectures incorporating covalently bound ionic species were synthesized via a template directed hydrolysis-polycondensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) with triethoxysilylated imidazole [(EtO)(3)Si(CH2)(3)-Im] or alkylimidazolium halides [(EtO)(3)Si(CH2)(3)-Im+-R Hal(-)].