Evaluation of Methanesulfonate-Based Deep Eutectic Solvent for Ammonia Sorption

The concept of eutectic solvents as a platform technology for a variety of applications including gas separation has become a popular approach. To date, the number of known deep eutectic solvents (DESs) is limited mainly to halide salts easily interacting with a hydrogen-bond donor (HBD) and resulting in the formation of a liquid phase. Actually, the DESs properties may be tuned by selecting the appropriate HBD, while the structure of the anion is not a decisive factor. However, the presence of other anions may be favorable for certain applications; therefore, expanding the range of deep eutectic solvents seems a relevant issue of chemistry and material science. In this study, we report the high absorption properties of the DES based on 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium methanesulfonate–urea toward ammonia. The structure features investigations have revealed the major contribution of C(2)-H to hydrogen bonding. To assess the possibility of selective separation, the solubility of ammonia and two acidic gases (H...