Ionic Liquids for Lanthanide and Actinide Chemistry

Abstract

Ionic liquid chemistry has developed into a tremendously popular field of chemistry in the last decade. It has been realized that ionic liquids show features that cannot be realized in conventional molecular solvents. The widely tuneable class of ionic liquids has become important for lanthanide and actinide coordination chemistry, f‐element spectroscopy, f‐element electrochemistry and electrodeposition, organic synthesis and catalysis as well as inorganic nanomaterial synthesis. For example, ionic liquids offer the possibility to synthesize and crystallize quite uncommon lanthanide compounds. Ionic liquids can also be designed in such a way that they become excellent media to study the optical properties of lanthanide compounds. And even ionic liquids based on f‐elements can be made. Hydrophobic ionic liquids may replace organic solvents in liquid/liquid f‐element extraction processes, not only as a safer extraction phase but also as a smart extractant. Their wide electrochemical window and large ion conductivity make ionic liquids interesting solvents to study the electrodeposition of the very electropositive lanthanide elements. For f‐element‐catalyzed reactions, higher reaction rates, enhanced selectivity, better immobilization of the catalyst and an easy product recovery have often been observed in certain ionic liquids.

Highly Luminescent Salts Containing Well-Shielded Lanthanide-Centered Complex Anions and Bulky Imidazolium Countercations

“…As a result, new ILs with specific properties that are due to the incorporation of a metal ion can be realized and their properties tuned by a judicious combination of the chelating organic cations and/or anions and metal ions. 6 An interesting field of application is the use of ILs as soft luminescent materials. 7 Many (clean) ILs are transparent in the visible and near-IR spectral regions and are therefore very good optical solvents.…”

Influence of FeCl3 on radiation stability of ionic liquid BmimCl

“…Anhydrous FeCl 2 6 ], and NH 3 ·H 2 O (25%) were purchased from SCRC (Shanghai, China). All chemicals were used without further purification.…”

“…Ionic liquids (ILs) have low melting points and extremely low volatility; thus, they have potential applications as substitutes for volatile organic or aqueous systems and as possible alternatives to high temperature molten salts in nonaqueous reprocessing [1,2]. Recently, ILs have attracted a great deal attention in the extraction of fission products from spent nuclear fuel because of their high radiation stability and simple separation-reprocessing [3][4][5].…”

Application of Ionic Liquids for the Separation of Rare Earth Metals

“…There is a growing recognition of the need to develop efficient and environmentally benign processes in the nuclear fuel cycle. Ionic liquids (ILs) are currently being investigated as alternative reaction media to conventional solvents in organic synthesis, catalysis, separation and electrochemistry [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. ILs, which are molten salts of low melting point, have unique properties such as non-flammability, Solvent Extraction Research and Development, Japan, Vol.…”