Quinine based ionic liquids: A tonic for base instability

Six basic ionic liquids were synthesised from the natural molecule quinine, including one room temperature ionic liquid. The thermal properties were studied and the basicity analysed by Hammett measurements. The properties are discussed in relation to the crystal structure of one of the salts, [C4Qn][NTf2] (2c) and electron density models generated using Spartan. The ionic liquids were shown to catalyse the Knoevenagel condensation of Malononitrile and Benzaldehyde.