Synthesis, structural analysis, electrochemical and magnetic properties of tetrachloroferrate ionic liquids

Eight ionic liquids have been synthesized with the tetrachloroferrate anion and varying cations with the general formula of [RA]+[FeCl4]− (R = –CH3, –CH2C6H5; A = pyridine, benzimidazole, trimethylamine, triphenylphosphine). They were characterized using spectroscopic techniques such as FT-IR, ESI-MS, Raman, and AAS along with single-crystal XRD to validate their structural motifs. The ionic conductivity, electrochemical and magnetic properties were determined to assess their possible uses in synthesis, separation, magnetic and transportation technologies, and high-energy capacitors. The diffusion coefficient value for these compounds was calculated to be around 7.55 × 10−8 cm2 s−1 and the heterogeneous rate constant value is about 3.60 × 10−3 cm s−1, which quantitatively complemented not only quasi reversibility but also moderately fast electron transfer processes. The effective magnetic moment values for the ionic liquids were determined to be similar to that expected from the spin-only approximation.