Synthesis and properties of symmetrical N,N′-bis(alkyl)imidazolium bromotrichloroferrate(III) paramagnetic, room temperature ionic liquids with high short-term thermal stability

A series of paramagnetic ionic liquids (PILs) based on N,N′-bis(alkyl)imidazolium bromotrichloroferrate(III), [(Cn)2Im][FeCl3Br] (Im = imidazole; Cn = ethyl, butyl, hexyl, octyl, decyl, dodecyl), was prepared and compared against the more traditional [CnC1Im][FeCl3Br] (C1 = methyl) analogs.