Complex Structural and Dynamical Interplay of Cyano-Based Ionic Liquids.

We carried out ab initio molecular dynamics simulations for the three cyano-based ionic liquids, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetracyanoborate ([C2C1Im][B(CN)4]), 1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium dicyanamide ([C2C1Im][N(CN)2]), and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate ([C2C1Im][SCN]). We found that the [SCN]-based ionic liquid is much more prone to π-π stacking interactions as opposed to the other two ionic liquids, contrary to the fact that all liquids bear the same cation. Hydrogen bonding is strong in the dicyanamide- and the thiocyanate-based ionic liquids and it is almost absent in the tetracyanoborate liquid. The anion prefers to stay on-top of the imidazolium ring with the highest priority for the N(CN)2 anion followed by the B(CN)4 anion. We find that experimental viscosity trends cannot be correlated to the hydrogen bond dynamics which is fastest for B(CN)4 followed by SCN and N(CN)2. For the dynamics of the cation on-top of itself, we find the order of B(CN)4 followed by N(CN)2 and finally by SCN. Interestingly, this trend correlates well with the viscosity, suggesting a relation between the cation-cation dynamics and the viscosity at least for these cyano-based ionic liquids. These findings, especially the apparent correlation between cation-cation dynamics and the viscosity, might be useful for the suggestion of better ionic liquids in electrolyte applications.