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Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Green Synthesis of Quinoline-Based Ionic Liquid
Published on: September 27, 2024
Anionic surfactants and surfactant ionic liquids with quaternary ammonium counterions
Paul Brown1, Craig Butts, Robert Dyer
1School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Cantock's Close, Bristol BS8 1TS, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
Small-angle neutron scattering and surface tension have been used to characterize a class of surfactants (SURFs), including surfactant ionic liquids (SAILs). These SURFs and SAILs are based on organic surfactant anions (single-tail dodecyl sulfate, DS, double-chain aerosol-OT, AOT, and the trichain, TC) with substituted quaternary ammonium cations. This class of surfactants can be obtained by straightforward chemistry, being cheaper and more environmentally benign than standard cationic SAILs. A surprising aspect of the results is that, broadly speaking, the physicochemical properties of these SURFs and SAILs are dominated by the nature of the surfactant anion and that the chemical structure of the added cation plays only a secondary role.
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