tert-Alcohol-functionalized imidazolium ionic liquid: catalyst for mild nucleophilic substitution reactions at room temperature

Encouraged by a synergistic effect on nucleophilic fluorination, an imidazolium mesylate salt (1a) possessing two different solvent properties in one molecule—tert-alcohol and ionic liquid was utilized in various nucleophilic substitution reactions. By a comparison study with 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium ionic liquids, 1a has proved to be a better phase transfer catalyst even under room temperature conditions. It was successfully applied to other nucleophilic substitution reactions such as fluorination, chlorination, bromination, iodination, acetoxylation, azidation, and cyanation.