Advanced ionic liquid technologies for sustainable reaction intensification

Abstract

The global imperative of carbon neutrality and stringent environmental regulations necessitates the transition from conventional volatile organic solvents to sustainable alternatives in chemical processes. Ionic liquids, characterized by negligible vapor pressure, exceptional thermal stability, and highly tunable physicochemical properties, have emerged as powerful solvents for reaction intensification. This review summarizes recent advances in ionic liquids-based intensification strategies across three critical areas catalytic reactions, organic synthesis, and alternative energy applications. In catalytic systems, ILs substantially enhance reaction kinetics and selectivity, while facilitating catalyst stability and recyclability. For organic synthesis, ILs enable greener reaction conditions, minimizing side reactions and improving yields through tailored solvation effects. Within alternative energy technologies, coupling ILs with microwave irradiation further accelerates reaction rates, reduces energy consumption, and enables highly efficient, selective conversions under remarkably mild conditions. Despite these promising benefits, industrial adoption remains limited due to production cost constraints, compatibility issues, and mass-transfer limitations arising from ionic liquids viscosity. Therefore, future research should prioritize computationally guided ionic liquids design, cost-effective synthetic routes, and optimized continuous-flow processing, promoting scalable, efficient, and economically viable industrial applications of ionic liquids-based reaction intensification technologies.