Elucidating Interactions Between Ionic Liquids and
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons by Quantum Chemical Calculations
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Abstract
Using quantum mechanical calculations
performed at the density
functional level of theory, the present study explores the binding
energetics, orbital energies, and charge transfer behavior accompanying
sorption of 12 different ionic liquids (ILs) onto 6 archetypal polyaromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs). The ILs were based on combinations of three different
onium cations (i.e., 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium, 1-butylpyridinium,
1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium) paired with four common anions, that
is, bromide, tetrafluoroborate, hexafluorophosphate, and bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide.
In general, the size of the anion as well as interaction of the butyl
side chain present on the cation with the paired anion exerted significant
influence over the cation ring orientation with respect to the PAH
surface. A smaller highest occupied molecular orbital–lowest
unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO–LUMO) energy band gap was
observed for pyridinium-based ILs upon adsorption on the PAH surface
in comparison to imidazolium and pyrrolidinium analogs, hinting at
stronger interactions between PAHs and pyridinium ILs. Of the 12 ILs
investigated, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide
displays the least favorable free energy of adsorption with PAHs whereas
PAH interactions with 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide
are the most favored thermodynamically. Charges determined from a
Mulliken population analysis were consistent with charge transfer
(CT) from the IL to the PAH. On the contrary, charges determined via
electrostatic potential using the more reliable grid based analysis
method (i.e., CHELPG) suggested the reverse direction of CT from the
PAH to the IL. The direction of the CT occurring from the HOMO of
the PAH to the LUMO of the IL, as shown by CHELPG analysis, is consistent
with the physical location of the orbitals and the negative shift
in the Fermi energy level observed for the IL–PAH complex.
A more favorable enthalpy of adsorption for ILs onto a PAH is observed
with an increase in the size of the PAH considered. The free energy
of adsorption, however, does not change significantly with an increase
in the PAH surface area. The adsorption of an IL on the PAH surface
leads to a small change in the entropy of the adsorbate/adsorbent
system. The thermochemistry computed at variable temperature indicates
a significant increase in the free energy of adsorption (i.e., a less
favorable adsorption) as temperature rises. Additionally, decomposition
of the entropic contribution suggests a greater contribution from
translational and rotational entropies upon cooling, again consistent
with stronger association at lower temperatures. Overall, the thermochemical
analyses suggest an entropically driven process of desorption of an
IL from the PAH surface, generally leading to fairly weak interactions
between ILs and ordinary PAHs under normal laboratory conditions