CAS: RUI: Click Synthesis and Structure-Property-Function Relationships of Amphiphilic Ionic Liquids

In this RUI project, funded by the Chemical Structure, Dynamics and Mechanisms B Program of the Chemistry Division, Professor Arsalan Mirjafari and his students of the Department of Chemistry & Physics at the Florida Gulf Coast University are developing new type of organic materials called ionic liquids. Ionic liquids are liquid salts comprised entirely of ions. The search for new ionic liquids is driven in part by efforts to address unmet needs in medicine and energy. Salts of this kind can be utilized as alternatives for more conventional organic solvents in various applications, including electronic materials, new generation of rechargeable batteries, and gene delivery. The project is designed to advance the scientific enterprise in tandem with educating and training undergraduate students to become the next generation of chemists. The project brings together elements of chemical synthesis, computer modeling as well as advanced materials development and characterizations, providing undergraduate students with opportunities to experience faculty-mentored research. Since Florida Gulf Coast University has a large underrepresented minority population in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields, the project provides important opportunities to engage in the professional training of individuals from these communities. Outreach activities involving local middle and high schools is part of the funded project as well. Fundamental to the field of ionic liquids is the understanding that structure begets function. In this project, Professor Mirjafari seeks the development of functional ionic liquids that simultaneously have improved fluidity and amphiphilic character – a combination of attributes that, while frequently antithetical, is very desirable in many applications. Click reactions are utilized to incorporate a diverse array of functional groups into the thioamide-based heterocyclic cations structures. The research involves efforts to understand the relationships between the chemical structure and physicochemical properties and the development of ionic liquids for specific functions including aliphatic/aromatic separation, liquid crystals, fluoride-ion electrochemistry, and gene transfer. New strategies are being pursued to improve the chemical stability and toxicity profiles of ionic liquids. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.