Benign coupling of reactions and separations with reversible ionic liquids

Reversible ionic liquids are a novel class of solvents that combine an effective medium where reactions occur with a ‘built-in’ separation ability for facile recovery of the products and catalysts, making the solvent available for recycle. We report the utility of these solvents in a number of reactions (Claisen–Schmidt condensation, Heck C–C coupling, and CO2 capture) and discuss the effectiveness of the separation. We also provide insight into the challenges and limitations of using these unique solvent systems to couple reactions and separations.