Relating ionic liquids and polyethylene glycols to green chemistry, organometallic catalysis, and materials science

The field of green chemistry has grown tremendously over the past years due to stricter environmental laws regulating the amount of toxic substances that are legally allowed into the environment. The objective of this work was to incorporate ILs and PEGs into gel type matrices and utilize them as solvent alternatives in hopes of helping advance the field of green chemistry and lowering environmental burden.; Here, three new gel-type materials were studied. A PEG gel-silica sol composite and an IL-PEG gel were developed. Both materials were based on a cross-linked PEG hydrogel and its response to various inorganic salts. The new materials developed exhibited the same shrink-swell characteristics as the control PEG hydrogel, while the IL-PEG gel showed similar uptakes of linear alcohols from salt solutions. Additionally, when calcined, the PEG gel-silica sol composite was found to have unique morphologies that were dependent on PEG hydrogel concentration.; The third material that was developed was a silica sol gel that was synthesized utilizing 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride as a (co)solvent. All previous work reported used ILs that had structures similar to surfactants that are traditionally used in creating high surface area materials. The work here presents a fundamental study of how short chained ILs can be used to produce high surface area materials and addresses questions such as how the IL orients itself within the matrix during the sol gel process.; Another facet of the work involves the incorporation of ILs and PEGS into organometallic catalytic systems, specifically the hydroesterification of styrene and the copolymerization of styrene and carbon monoxide. The ILs' non-coordinating nature allows them to stabilize catalytically active charged species in addition to allowing for ease of catalyst recycling.; The application of the presented work to the field of green chemistry includes the implementation of benign, non-volatile reaction media, specifically ILs and PEGs, in catalytic systems. Utilizing these types of solvents will aid in cutting costs due to solvent recycling and catalyst retention. Additionally, the solid gel type materials described could be modified and used in remediation efforts, as catalyst supports, sensors, electrochemical, or in fuel cell applications.