Microwave Synthesis of Short-Chained Fluorinated Ionic Liquids and Their Surface Properties

Microwave synthesis is shown to be a valuable route to novel fluorinated ionic liquid surfactants. 1-Methyl-3-(3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,6-nonafluorohexyl)imidazolium iodide was prepared by treatment of 1-methylimidazole with 1-iodo-1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorohexane in a microwave reactor, and this product underwent anion exchange to yield 1-methyl-3-(3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,6-nonafluorohexyl)imidazolium nonafluoro-1-butanesulfonate. This catanionic surfactant showed intriguing phase behavior and low surface tension.