Synthesis and properties of trialkyl(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)phosphonium salts, a new class of hydrophilic and hydrophobic glyceryl-functionalized ILs

A series of new ionic liquids (ILs) based on trialkylglycerylphosphonium cations have been prepared starting from 3-chloropropane-1,2-diol or (2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl) methanol, two compounds readily obtainable from glycerol (a widely available and cheap waste product). All the new phosphonium salts were characterized by NMR, IR and DSC, and their efficacy as polar additives in a typical base-promoted Baylis-Hillman reaction was also evaluated.