Solvophobic effect of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride on the thermodynamic of complexation between β-cyclodextrin and dodecylpyridinium cation

Abstract

Preferential solvation participate in various supramolecular self-assembly processes, whose thermodynamic properties can be modulated by the addition of ionic liquids (ILs). However, the effects of these liquids on the thermodynamics of the host-guest complexation process remain unexplored. In this study, the thermodynamic properties of the complexation between 1-dodecylpyridinium cations (C12Py+) and β-cyclodextrin (βCD) species in aqueous solutions with different concentrations of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium halides (CnmimX) were investigated by isothermal titration calorimetry. In water, C12Py+ and βCD form a 1:1 inclusion complex, which is enthalpically ( −9.2 ± 0.1 kJ mol−1) and entropically ( 16.1 ± 0.2 kJ mol−1) favorable. However, in IL aqueous solutions, all the βCD―C12Py+ thermodynamic parameters of the complexation change and this IL effect is dependent on the carbon chain length of Cnmim+ cations. ILs with shorter alkyl chains (Cnmim+, n ≤ 4) decreases the system entropy, while ILs with longer alkyl chains (Cnmim+, n ≥ 6) reduce the enthalpy values. These effects are attributed to i) preferential solvation of surfactant tails by ILs; ii) ability of the ILs to modify the 3D water structure and iii) inclusion of IL molecules into the inner cavities of βCD.