Deep eutectic solvents-The vital link between ionic liquids and ionic solutions

Area of Science:

• Physical Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Supramolecular Chemistry

Background:

• The traditional "like dissolves like" principle, based on homogeneous solvents, is often insufficient for complex solvation challenges.
• Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) present a versatile alternative, composed of tunable ionic or non-ionic, polar or non-polar components.

Discussion:

• DESs exhibit significant short-length order and preferential solvation, enabling the solubilization of a wide range of solutes, including hydrophobic and hydrophilic ones.
• The addition of polar diluents like water or alcohols to DESs leads to non-homogeneous mixtures with reduced viscosity and increased ionic conductivity.

Key Insights:

• DESs offer a flexible platform for designing solvent properties by adjusting their constituent components.
• Controlled phase behavior in DESs can be achieved through the addition of polar diluents or by utilizing hydrophobic DES formulations.

Outlook:

• Further research into DES structure, dynamics, and solvation properties is crucial for optimizing their applications.
• Investigating the mobility of charged species and controllable phase behavior in DESs will unlock new possibilities in various chemical processes.