Are ionic liquids pairwise in gas phase? A cluster approach and in situ IR study

In this work, we discussed the vaporization and gas species of ionic liquids (ILs) by a cluster approach of quantum statistical thermodynamics proposed by R. Luwig (Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 10, 4333), which is a controversial issue up to date. Based on the different sized clusters (2-12 ion-pairs) of the condensed phase, the molar enthalpies of vaporization (ΔvapH, 298.15 K, 1bar) of four representative ILs, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([Emim][NTf2]) 1-ethyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([Emmim][NTf2]) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([Emim]Cl) and ethylammonium nitrate ([EtAm][NO3]), were calculated. The predicted ΔvapH were increased remarkably; even the values of [EtAm][NO3] were larger than 700 kJ mol(-1) when the charged isolated ions were assumed to be gas species. However, the ΔvapH were close to experimental measurements when the gas species assumed to be anion-cation pairwise, indicating that the different conformational ion-pairs can coexist in the gas phase when the IL is evaporated. Particularly for the protic IL, [EtAm][NO3], even the neutral precursor molecules by proton transfer can occur in gas phase. In addition, it's found that the effect of hydrogen bonds on the vaporization cannot be negligible by comparing the ΔvapH of [Emim][NTf2] with [Emmim][NTf2]. The in situ and calculated IR spectra provided the further proof that the ions are pairwise in gas phase.