Ionic liquids based on imidazolium, ammonium and pyrrolidinium salts of the dicyanamide anion

New families of salts, based on quaternary ammonium, 1-methyl-3-alkylimidazolium or N-methyl-N-alkylpyrrolidinium organic cations together with the dicyanamide (dca, N(CN)(2)(-)) anion are reported. The salts are low melting compounds, all those reported are liquid at room temperature, for example 1-methyl-3-ethylimidazolium dicyanamide (mp - 21 degreesC) and N-methyl-N-ethylpyrrolidinium dicyanamide (mp -10 degreesC). Some of the salts exhibit multiple crystalline phases below their melting points. Above their melting points they are stable to at least 200 degreesC. Many of the salts were found to be glass forming when cooled rapidly to -100 degreesC. The room-temperature liquids exhibit very low viscosities, for example ethylmethylimidazolium dicyanamide: eta = 21 cP at ambient temperature (25 degreesC).