Determination of ionic liquids solvent properties using an unusual probe: the electron donor-acceptor complex between 4,4'-bis(dimethylamino)-benzophenone and tetracyanoethene.

Michler's ketone (MK) and tetracyanoethene (TCNE) may be used as a UV-vis probe to investigate the solvent properties of ionic liquids (ILs). In molecular solvents, MK and TCNE give an electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complex, a zwitterionic species or a radical ion pair, depending on the aprotic or protic nature of the solvent and on its ionizing power. In agreement with the behavior observed in aprotic solvents, only the EDA complex was detected in ILs bearing low donor anions (beta < 0.7). The formation constant determined in [bmim][Tf(2)N] (K(c) = 5.6 (0.5) M(-1)) is similar to that measured in 1,2-dichloroethane at 25 degrees C. The visible absorption maximum (nu(max,CTC)) of the EDA complex is quantitatively described by a multiple correlation using the Kamlet-Taft pi, beta, and alpha parameters of the solvents. The H-bond donating capacity of ILs is not sufficient to determine the transformation of the EDA complex into the zwitterionic species, but the Kamlet-Taft alpha parameter seems to affect the position of the absorption band. The high ionization power of ILs, moreover, favors the slow dissociation of the EDA complex into its corresponding radical ion pair; this behavior generally characterizes highly polar and highly ionizing protic solvents, such as TFE and HFI. Finally, since the formation of the EDA complex is strongly affected by the presence of impurities, traces of nucleophiles (chloride or amines) or water may be easily detected through the change of the solution color.