Synthesis of ionic liquids based on alkylimidazolium salts and their coal dissolution and dispersion properties

A series of new bis (imidazolium) cation-based ionic liquids, wherein two imidazole rings are tethered by alkyl ether chains (oxygen numbers) of different lengths, were prepared, and their coal dissolution and dispersion properties were studied. It was found these ionic liquids can be used to fragment, disperse, and partially dissolve micrometer-size coal particles by simply mixing ionic liquid/coal dispersions. Dissolution performances and light hydrocarbon production were found to be sensitively increased by increasing the lengths of alkyl ether chains between imidazolium rings.