About Book

Ionic liquids are one of the most interesting and rapidly developing areas in modern physical chemistry, materials science, technologies and engineering. An ionic liquid is salt in which the ions are poorly coordinated, which results in these solvents being liquid below 100oC, or event at room temperature. At least one ion has a delocalized charge and one component is organic, which prevents the formation of a stable crystal lattice. It provides the forum for dissemination and exchange of up-to-date scientific information on theoretical, genetic, and applied areas of ionic liquids. It, therefore, tends to review recent progresses in ionic liquid research on fundamental properties, solvents and catalysis in organic reactions, biological applications, providing energies and fuels, biomass conversions, functional materials, and other applications. This book attempts to understand the multiple branches that fall under the discipline of chemistry and how such concepts have practical applications. It describes in a detailed manner the theories and concepts of various different branches associated with the subject. It specifically talks about the enzymatic enantioselectivity, graphene nanostructure, heck coupling, ionic liquid aggregates, electrochemical preparation, petroleum emulsions, polymeric solids, microscopic investigations, hydrogenation catalysis and electrocatalytic applications. The topics included in the book are designed to provide students with a clear understanding of this complex subject. Coherent flow of topics, student-friendly language and extensive use of examples make this book an invaluable source of knowledge.

Preface ..................................................................................................................... v

1. Recent Advances in Electrocatalytic Applications of Ionic Liquids ............. 1

Abstract ........................................................................................................... 1

1. Introduction ................................................................................................... 1

2. Electrochemical applications of ionic liquids ............................................ 3

3. Conclusions .................................................................................................. 26

2. Hydrogenation Catalysis in Biobased Ionic Liquids .................................... 32

Abstract ......................................................................................................... 32

1. Introduction ................................................................................................. 32

2. Biobased ionic liquids ................................................................................. 33

3. Hydrogenation in ionic liquids .................................................................. 38

4. Hydrogenation in biobased ionic liquids ................................................. 41

5. Conclusion .................................................................................................... 44

Acknowledgements ..................................................................................... 45

3. Microscopic Investigations on Woody Biomass as Treated with

Ionic Liquids ........................................................................................................ 53

Abstract ......................................................................................................... 53

1. Introduction ................................................................................................. 54

2. Application of microscopy techniques to examine wood

liquefaction ................................................................................................... 55

3. Conclusions .................................................................................................. 67

Acknowledgements ..................................................................................... 67

4. Ionic Liquids as Surfactants – Applications as Demulsifiers of Petroleum

Emulsions ............................................................................................................. 74

1. Introduction ................................................................................................. 74

2. Theory about emulsions ............................................................................. 76

3. Conclusions .................................................................................................. 92

Acknowledgements ..................................................................................... 92

References ..................................................................................................... 92

5. Electrochemical Preparation of Titanium and its Alloy in Ionic Liquid ... 99

1. Introduction ................................................................................................. 99

2. Electrochemical preparation of titanium from ionic liquid ................ 100

3. Electrodeposition of titanium alloys in ionic liquid ............................. 107

4. Conclusion .................................................................................................. 122

Acknowledgements ................................................................................... 122

References ................................................................................................... 122

6. Heck Coupling in Ionic Liquids ..................................................................... 126

1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 126

2. Heck reaction in Room Temperature Ionic Liquids (RTILs) ................ 128

3. Functionalized Ionic Liquids (FILs) ......................................................... 136

4. Conclusions ................................................................................................ 147

References ................................................................................................... 147

7. High-Performance Supercapacitors Based on Ionic Liquids and a

Graphene Nanostructure ................................................................................. 159

1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 159

2. Discussion ................................................................................................... 162

3. Conclusions ................................................................................................ 194

References ................................................................................................... 194

8. Solvent Dependence of Enzymatic Enantioselectivity in Ionic Liquids . 205

1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 205

2. Effect of reaction medium on -chymotrypsin-catalyzed

esterification ............................................................................................... 206

3. Effect of solvent on activity and enantio-selectivity of

-chymotrypsin ......................................................................................... 210

4. Effect of water content on activity and enantioselectivity

of -chymotrypsin .................................................................................... 214

5. Effect of reaction temperature on enantio-selectivity of

-chymotrypsin in ionic liquids ............................................................. 219

6. Relationship between catalytic efficiency and enantioselectivity

of -chymotrypsin in ionic liquids ......................................................... 222

7. Conclusion ................................................................................................. 223

References ................................................................................................... 224

Citation ................................................................................................................ 227

Index .................................................................................................................... 229

About Author

Agatha Woods obtained her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Public Research University, Estremoz. She has served as a Guest Lecturer at University, Huelva. She has contributed numerous articles on a wide range of topics including quantum chemistry, molecular spectroscopy, reaction rate theory, atomic physics, and applied mathematics. Her research interests are focused on structural and physical aspects of ionic liquid, solubility of bioactive, polysaccharide-based composite materials with ionic liquids and enzymatic synthesis of nanostructured polysaccharides.