Solvent Effects on the ¹ H-NMR Chemical Shifts of Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquids

The ¹ H nuclear magnetic resonance (¹ H-NMR) spectrum is a useful tool for characterizing the hydrogen bonding (H-bonding) interactions in ionic liquids (ILs). As the main hydrogen bond (H-bond) donor of imidazolium-based ILs, the chemical shift (δ_H2 ) of the proton in the 2-position of the imidazolium ring (H2) exhibits significant and complex solvents, concentrations and anions dependence. In the present work, based on the dielectric constants (ϵ) and Kamlet-Taft (KT) parameters of solvents, we identified that the δ_H2 are dominated by the solvents polarity and the competitive H-bonding interactions between cations and anions or solvents. Besides, the solvents effects on δ_H2 are understood by the structure of ILs in solvents: 1) In diluted solutions of inoizable solvents, ILs exist as free ions and the cations will form H-bond with solvents, resulting in δ_H2 being independent with anions but positively correlated with β_S . 2) In diluted solutions of non-ionzable solvents, ILs exist as contact ion-pairs (CIPs) and H2 will form H-bond with anions. Since non-ionizable solvents hardly influence the H-bonding interactions between H2 and anions, the δ_H2 are not related to β_S but positively correlated with β_IL .