Evaluation of a hydrophilic ionic liquid as a salting-out phase separation agent to a water-tetrahydrofuran homogeneous system for aqueous biphasic extraction separation.

The use of a hydrophilic ionic liquid (IL), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (C(4)mimCl), as a salting-out phase separation agent to a water-tetrahydrofuran homogeneous system was studied for possible applications to novel aqueous biphasic extraction separation. The IL showed a salting-out phase-separation ability. Also, differences in the polarity between the formed two phases were smaller than that when using NaCl as a salting-out agent. This result suggested that C(4)mimCl remaining in water-rich phase acts not only as a salting-out agent, but also a component of a mixed-solvent. Possible uses of C(4)mimCl/NaCl mixed salting-out agent system were also discussed.