Unusual phase behaviour of the organic ionic plastic crystal N,N-dimethylpyrrolidinium tetrafluoroborate

Abstract

Analysis of N,N-dimethylpyrrolidinium tetrafluoroborate by ¹H and ¹¹B NMR, Raman spectroscopy and powder XRD shows that this organic ionic plastic crystal material exhibits unusual phase behaviour. ¹H NMR analysis indicates that the mobility of the pyrrolidinium cation decreases when the material is heated into phase I, while the X-ray diffraction pattern changes from a simple, one peak structure in phase II to a more complex pattern in phase I. The possible origins of these unusual transitions are discussed.