Do all ionic liquids need organic cations? Characterisation of [AlCl2 center dot nAmide](+) AlCl4- and comparison with imidazolium based systems

The addition of a simple amide to AlCl3 causes the formation of a liquid of the form [AlCl2 center dot nAmide](+) AlCl4-. The material thus produced is liquid over a wide temperature range, is relatively insensitive to water and has the properties of an ionic liquid. This ionic liquid is shown to be a suitable medium for the acetylation of ferrocene and the electrodeposition of aluminium and demonstrated that quaternary ammonium cations are not always needed to form ionic liquids.