Ionic liquids and reactive azeotropes: the continuity of the aprotic and protic classes

Abstract

In this work, we explore the relations between the acid–base reactions implicit in the definition of protic ionic liquids and their solutions, the existence of reactive azeotropy, and the continuity between the aprotic and protic classes of ionic liquids. The profound impact caused by this type of homogenous azeotropy on the fluid phase behaviour (liquid–gas equilibria) of this class of compounds is also discussed.