Preface

Ionic liquids (ILs) are compounds with some privileged properties like non-volatility, task specificity, electrochemical potential, tuneable density and viscosity, less (or non-) toxic nature, recyclability, etc. They have potential applications in different fields like synthesis and catalysis, energy materials, analytical chemistry, separation technologies, biotechnology, etc. Ionic liquids can be divided into several classes, such as protic ionic liquids, room temperature ionic liquids, chiral ionic liquids, Lewis acidic ionic liquids, etc. Among the various classes of ionic liquids, chiral ionic liquids (CILs) gained considerable attention from the research community in the past few decades as these compounds possess all the inherent properties of simple ionic liquids and are particularly significant in the field of asymmetric synthesis, organo-catalysis, enantiomeric separations and chiral recognition by spectroscopic and chromatographic methods due to the presence of chirality in their structures. The growing demand for pure enantiomers in the pharmaceutical and food industries sparks further development in the field of extraction and separation systems modified with CILs, highlighting them as affordable and environmentally friendly chiral selectors and solvents. In recent years, exponential growth in research publications has been observed in the field of synthesis and applications of CILs.

Our research group has been working on the synthesis and applications of CILs since 2013. The analysis of the existing literature shows that there are numerous books on the synthesis, catalytic, analytical, biotechnology, and industrial applications of ionic liquids, but to the best of our knowledge, there is no book about the synthesis and applications of CILs. In view of this, it was thought to edit a book specifically on these aspects of the CILs. This book is aimed at providing an insight into recent methodologies for the synthesis and applications of CILs in chemistry and technology. The main topics covered in the book (having 10 chapters) include Basic concepts of ionic liquids and chirality; Design, synthesis, and applications of chiral carbohydrate ionic liquids; Chiral ionic liquids from amino acids and terpenoids: synthesis and applications; Role of chiral ionic liquids in enantio-separation using capillary electrophoresis; Chiral ionic liquids stationary phases in electrophoretic separations; Chiral ionic liquids and chromatography: synergistic effects in enantio-separations; Chiral ionic liquids in chiral recognition methods using spectroscopic techniques; Design, synthesis and organo-catalytic applications of functionalized chiral ionic liquids; Chiral ionic liquids based biphasic systems in enantio-separations and Chiral-supported ionic liquids in asymmetric synthesis.

Overall, the book has been written to be a useful resource for academia as well as industry, particularly for students/researchers working in the areas of organic synthesis, engineering materials, and environmental and applied chemistry.

We, as Editors, would like to thank one and all who have been involved in the publication of this book. All our authors have done a prodigious job in formulating their chapters, and it has been a pleasure to read their contributions. All our colleagues have met their obligations in the most timely and passionate manner. We are truthfully indebted to them for making our task so effortless. The editors would also like to thank Ms. Humaira Hashmi, editorial project manager (EPM), and Ms. Sheikh Maryam Rehman, Publications Manager, for their support and help during this project. Finally, in a project like this, someone must take accountability for any mistakes that have crept in. Eventually, we are the editors, and this responsibility is ours. So, we tender an unreserved apology for any mistakes that have been found in the book.