Solution structures of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ionic liquid saturated with CO2: Experimental evidence of specific anion-CO2 interaction.

X-ray diffraction measurements for 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ionic liquid ([BMIM][PF6])-CO2 systems were carried out at high pressures with a newly developed polymer cell. The intermolecular distribution functions (g(inter)(r)) were obtained at 25 degrees C for neat [BMIM][PF6] and its solutions saturated with CO2 at 4 and 15 MPa, where the mole fractions (x) of CO2 correspond to 0.5 and 0.7, respectively. In g(inter)(r) for x = 0.5, two peaks appeared at around 2.8 and 3.2 A. These two peaks in g(inter)(r) appreciably increased for x = 0.7; moreover, there was another peak observed at approximately 3.8 A. Only assuming the correlations between CO2 and [PF6]-, it is reasonably determined that the nearest-neighbor P([PF6]-). . .C(CO2) distances are 3.57 and 3.59 A with the coordination numbers being 1.8 and 4.0 for x = 0.5 and 0.7, respectively. It is concluded that CO2 molecules are preferentially solvated to the [PF6]- anion.