Green chemistry: ionic liquids in idustrial applications

Abstract

Chemical reactions are generally performed in the presence of volatile, flammable, and toxic organic solvents, whether on a small scale in the laboratory or on a large scale in the industry. Every year, approximately 20 million tons of volatile organic chemicals are discharged into the atmosphere. Consequently, the change in global climate, air pollution, and health issues have come into the forefront. Thus, alternative, and green solvents are becoming more popular within years. Fluorinated solvents, water, and supercritical liquids are utilized as alternatives to volatile organic solvents. The interest of ionic liquids as green solvents is due to their several advantages such as low vapour pressure, low flammability, a wide liquid range, excellent thermal stability, adjustable polarity, and miscibility with other organic and inorganic chemicals. Ionic liquids are an ideal “environmentally friendly solvents” alternative to organic solvents used today for synthesis, homogeneous catalysis, and chemical processes. They have developed as reinforcing family of chemicals for the applications of electrochemistry, organic synthesis, catalysis, gas separation, protein preservation, as well as other applications due to their outstanding characteristics and vast combinations of the cations and anions. Consequently, this review focuses on the use of ionic liquids, especially in biotechnology and leather manufacturing.