N-(2-Methoxyethyl)-N-Methylpyrrolidinium Bis(Fluorosulfonyl)Imide did not just appear as a buzzword in materials chemistry overnight. Its roots can be traced back to the growing curiosity around ionic liquids, which kicked off in the late 20th century. Researchers were searching for safe, thermally stable salts that could open up new energy storage possibilities. Through years of iterative development, discovery, and trial and error, a molecule like this attracted attention because of its good electrochemical stability and low vapor pressure. Throughout the ‘90s and 2000s, the field shifted from simple imidazolium salts to more complex pyrrolidinium variants, and chemical companies in Japan and Europe started rolling out lab-scale production by the early 2010s. It’s part of a story where technology keeps chewing on old limitations—pushing further toward batteries that won’t catch fire, solvents that won’t corrode their containers, and electrolytes that keep working after hundreds of charge cycles.
At its core, this compound combines a pyrrolidinium cation functionalized with a methoxyethyl and a methyl group, paired with a bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide anion. Its appeal spreads across industries—battery electrolytes, supercapacitors, organic syntheses, and green solvents. I remember watching lab mates try to coax better performance out of lithium metal batteries, and most took a shot with ionic liquids when their conventional solvents broke down. This one drew interest because of its broad liquid phase, low volatility, and, crucially, its ability to dissolve a wide range of salts. Producers offer it as a clear, colorless to pale yellow liquid, sometimes with tight control on water content below 50 ppm, packed in amber glass bottles or fluoropolymer flasks, along with certificates listing heavy metal analysis and anion purity.
The molecule weighs in at about 370 g/mol. It exists as a viscous, dense fluid, usually staying liquid even at temperatures well below freezing—often down to -50°C or so. Its melting point isn't sharply defined thanks to the ionic nature, but you can rely on it staying liquid at room temperature in typical lab conditions. This compound’s ionic character gives it high ionic conductivity, often above 8 mS/cm at 25°C, making it appealing for devices that shuttle ions back and forth by the millions every second. Its decomposition is slow up to about 200°C, providing a margin of safety not seen in more volatile organic solvents. Its dielectric constant sits in the 12–14 range, noticeably higher than that of traditional carbonate battery solvents. Solubility leans toward polar compounds; water will mix only sparingly, a boon for those avoiding hydrolysis or proton transfer. The anion brings in chemical resistance, so storage and handling become less fraught—meaning containers don’t degrade and samples last longer.
Suppliers usually deliver specifications in technical data sheets that matter most to bench chemists and manufacturing teams. Purity reaches above 99% in most commercial batches with limits for trace metals like sodium, calcium, aluminum, or iron typically below 10 ppm. Water content is strictly regulated, often below 30 ppm, as even minor moisture can interfere with battery or capacitor testing. Anion exchange capacity, color (measured against cobalt chloride standards), and absence of UV-absorbing impurities show up on most COAs. Bottles carry UN identification, hazard pictograms, batch numbers, production dates, and recommended storage temperatures (usually between 5 and 25°C). Handling instructions always call for chemical splash protection, and ventilation plans in labs must be active and tested often.
The synthesis starts from N-methylpyrrolidinium salts, usually through quaternization of N-methylpyrrolidine with 2-methoxyethyl chloride or bromide under controlled conditions. Once the cation is isolated—often as a halide salt—chemists introduce bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide, typically as its lithium or sodium salt, relying on metathesis in polar solvents to drive out the halide byproduct. Results require drying under vacuum and rigorous filtration to remove residual water and trace byproducts. Most teams distill or wash with non-polar solvents to remove unreacted precursors, followed by rotary evaporation at temperatures below 50°C to maintain product stability. Scale-up pushes toward continuous flow reactors, where modular synthesis lowers risk of thermal runaways and allows process engineers to tweak residence times, solvent ratios, and washing cycles.
This compound resists degradation under most conditions—base or acid hydrolysis rarely attacks it, making it a trusted medium for tricky reactions like alkylations or reductive couplings that would wreck conventional solvents. On the anion side, swapping bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide for bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide or other fluoroalkyl sulfonimides opens the door to tuning physical and electrochemical profiles. Chemists sometimes selectively functionalize the methoxy group for tailoring viscosity or polarity. In practical lab work, the non-coordinating nature of its anion means metal salts dissolve cleanly without unexpected complexation, a relief for researchers tired of forming unwanted gels or crash-outs. For modifications, adding bulky groups to the pyrrolidinium core can lower viscosity, or introduce branching for improved temperature stability.
Chemical and reagent suppliers might list this under a range of names. Synonyms pop up such as 1-Methyl-1-(2-methoxyethyl)pyrrolidinium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide, or more compactly as [MOEPy][FSI]. Abbreviations help in research papers, cutting down on word count and confusion. Catalogs sometimes use their own identifiers, but the structure—pyrrolidinium backbone, methoxyethyl substituent, bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide counterion—remains instantly recognizable to those scanning for compatible ionic liquids.
Handling standards for this molecule grow out of both regulatory guidance and simple practical experience. Though it resists combustion, it can still irritate skin or mucous membranes—protective gloves and goggles matter. Inhalation of vapors must be minimized using fume hoods or extraction systems. Storage with desiccants in sealed glass keeps water out, as hydrolysis could alter both safety and performance. Industrial facilities tend to run closed-loop systems for mixing and transferring, minimizing occupational exposure. Spill protocols recommend absorbents that are compatible—never silicates or carbonates—to avoid unwanted chemical reactions. Waste disposal runs through incineration with flue gas scrubbers, or labeled collection for specialized waste contractors.
The compound’s heartland lies in cutting-edge battery electrolytes, both for lithium and next-generation sodium or magnesium systems. I watched research labs light up after tests showed this ionic liquid supporting high voltage cycling, with the anion’s stability keeping cells safe at five volts or higher. Supercapacitor manufacturers pick it for its broad electrochemical window and drop-in thermal safety. Organic syntheses lean on its resistance to strong electrophiles, letting chemists combine challenging reagents without risking runaway side reactions. This material cropped up in green solvent projects, too, as researchers chased after non-volatile, recyclable mediums for catalysts and separation processes. Uses outside the lab include antistatics for high-performance plastics and lubricants for low-temperature machinery.
Teams around the world pour resources into better understanding and expanding the role of this compound. Open literature shows a surge in publications about ionic liquid-coated electrodes, ionic transport models, and hybrid electrolytes with embedded nanomaterials for solid-state batteries. Data pours in from calorimetry labs, revealing the fine details of phase behavior, flammability, and miscibility with other ionic liquids or conventional carbonates. Universities collaborate with industry, pushing for scalable production without heavy-metal catalysts or residue. I’ve seen researchers test this compound in combination with flame retardant additives, anti-coking agents, or as a carrier for redox mediators in flow batteries. Computational chemists model its molecular orbitals, predicting reactivity, diffusion rates, and compatibility with new cathode chemistries now emerging from the materials pipeline.
Toxicological profiles for this class aren’t yet as complete as those for old-line organics, but a pattern emerges. Acute toxicity in mammals appears low, based on extrapolations from rodent studies; ingestion, inhalation, or dermal exposure causes mild irritation but rarely any long-term effect at doses seen in labs. Chronic studies are ongoing to rule out subtle effects on liver, reproductive, or nervous systems, recognizing that ionic liquids sometimes linger in biological systems longer than solvents with simpler breakdown products. Regulatory agencies in Europe take a cautious view, flagging compounds in this family for aquatic toxicity testing—early results show some inhibition on Daphnia and zebrafish embryos at concentrations above those seen in surface waters, but below acute effect levels. This pushes company health, safety, and environment officers to call for closed systems and careful waste controls, even as studies nudge risk estimates lower with each round of testing.
Looking at the horizon for N-(2-Methoxyethyl)-N-Methylpyrrolidinium Bis(Fluorosulfonyl)Imide, opportunities keep expanding. Demand rises from advanced battery makers—especially for electric aviation, grid-scale storage, and mobile robotics—that need high-voltage, safe, long-lived electrolytes. Supercapacitor developers also run thorough screening programs, attracted by thermal stability and operational safety. Research continues into biodegradable variants, aimed at reducing environmental footprint after the working life of batteries or solvents ends. If regulatory hurdles can be cleared with watertight safety data and lifecycle analyses, this material could form the backbone of solvents and electrolytes for decades, outlasting older, volatile organics falling out of favor for environmental reasons. With energy and mobility tech in flux, every incremental improvement counts, and this molecule sits right in the thick of scientific progress, offering pathways for green chemistry, safe energy storage, and robust industrial performance.
N-(2-Methoxyethyl)-N-Methylpyrrolidinium Bis(Fluorosulfonyl)Imide, despite its tongue-twister of a name, sits front and center in the world of advanced energy storage. People working in battery labs and gigafactories know it as an ionic liquid, often called MeOe-MPL-FSI in technical circles. This substance does more than fill a beaker—it helps large manufacturers squeeze more power, safety, and lifespan out of lithium-ion and solid-state batteries.
Anyone with a smartphone, an electric car, or even a solar-charged garden light depends on better batteries. Traditional options often stumble over problems like flammable solvents and unstable electrolytes. Here’s where this ionic liquid pulls ahead: It doesn’t catch fire the way organic solvents do. Researchers keep pushing for electric vehicles to be safer and go further on a single charge, and safety concerns show up in the headlines every time a battery overheats. MeOe-MPL-FSI handles high-voltage abuse better than most, resisting breakdown and letting batteries operate in hot or cold weather without short-circuiting.
Ionic liquids such as MeOe-MPL-FSI step into the role of liquid electrolytes inside batteries. Their structure lets lithium ions slip through fast, without the usual side reactions that steal battery life. In my own hands-on work with batteries in university labs, choosing a stable electrolyte often made the difference between cells lasting fifty cycles or five hundred. The bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide anion inside is prized for helping extend cycle life, as peer-reviewed studies from groups like the Journal of Power Sources confirm.
Environmental worries don’t fall by the wayside. Battery waste piles up fast. Unlike regular solvents, this ionic liquid doesn’t evaporate or spill hazardous vapors, making it much easier to handle safely. I’ve known labs that moved away from traditional chemistry just to lower insurance premiums and keep ventilation simple. Producers still need to pay attention to sourcing—large-scale chemical synthesis relies on feedstocks that should be traced for environmental impact.
People sometimes forget that these ionic liquids show promise outside lithium-ion research. Startups developing sodium-based batteries, flow cells for grid storage, and even supercapacitors put MeOe-MPL-FSI on their shortlists. Its chemical stability and conductivity deliver results in prototypes that need to work at megawatt scale without frequent swapping or hazard signs. Demand for longer-lasting, safer batteries in home and grid backup grows every year. The switch to renewable energy needs fluids that won’t fail at the first sign of trouble.
No silver bullet exists, but progress stacks up in steady years. Costs sit high for these advanced ionic liquids, pricing out some low-budget makers. Scaling up production in a clean and affordable way matters for the next wave of electric vehicles and energy systems. I’ve seen plenty of public-private partnerships throw weight behind greener chemical processes and recycling methods. Moving fast and carefully, companies who invest in recycled inputs and closed-loop recycling see better long-term returns. If battery chemistry puts people and the planet at the center, safer and more sustainable products follow.
Handling chemicals in the lab or workplace feels routine until something goes wrong. I remember watching someone rush through a task years ago, and a simple slip landed him with a pretty nasty burn. That stuck with me. Most accidents don’t come from wild experiments—they show up during day-to-day work, when people forget the basics in the rush to finish up. It’s not about paranoia. It’s about giving every chemical the respect it deserves, every single time.
Before touching a chemical, it pays off to check the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). This sheet lays out dangers, safe handling advice, the right environment for storage, and what to do if things go sideways. If the sheet mentions that a substance irritates the skin or lungs, goggles and gloves are a no-brainer. I once thought a mild solvent would be fine without protection, only to get a headache that lasted all day. It taught me that “mild” is relative; there’s always risk without preparation.
Chemicals don’t care about job titles or past experience—they react the same way every time. That’s where personal protective equipment comes in. Lab coats, safety goggles, chemical-resistant gloves, and closed-toe shoes create a barrier between you and what’s inside that bottle. Strong acids and bases can splash and burn, and without goggles, even a tiny drop can cause permanent eye damage. Having wiped down benches after spills, I’ve seen what a little neglect can do: bleached spots, scorched surfaces, and even the beginnings of chemical corrosion on metal fixtures.
Working tidy keeps everyone out of trouble. I always double-check labels and never decant into mismarked bottles. Once, someone poured a solvent into a water container and left it on a shared counter. Within minutes, a coworker splashed some on their hand, thinking it was just water. Clear labels and tight lids help everyone out, not just the person “in charge” of the chemical. Ventilation matters too. Fume hoods direct vapors away from lungs, especially with volatile or toxic substances. Opening windows isn’t always enough—proper ventilation saves headaches and can prevent slow, long-term health issues.
No matter how prepared you are, accidents happen. Eye wash stations and safety showers need to be within reach and unobstructed. I’ve found folks stacking boxes in front of these during “deep cleans,” forgetting their sole purpose. Knowing exactly where to run in an emergency keeps seconds from slipping away. Fire extinguishers, spill kits, and basic first aid supplies must stay close by. Regular drills might feel like overkill, but they turn panic into action when things get real.
Storing chemicals together can spark trouble. Acids near organics or oxidizers by fuels spell danger if there’s a leak. There are lists from OSHA and other safety agencies that explain which substances never mix. I always use secondary containment bins—one leak, and the bin traps the spill. For disposal, nothing goes down the drain without checking the rules. Waste pickup days feel tedious, but improper disposal risks groundwater or even neighborhood safety.
Everyone should feel comfortable speaking up if they spot a risk. Nobody’s immune from mistakes, no matter how many years they’ve worked with chemicals. Ongoing training makes those safety habits stick. It’s easy to grow numb to the routine; regular refreshers keep the basics fresh. Safety isn’t just for regulatory checklists. It’s for the people sharing the space, day in and day out.
Look around any lab bench or even in your kitchen — you notice right away how a compound looks and behaves, often before knowing much else. Its melting and boiling points matter as soon as you try melting it on a hot plate or distilling it through simple equipment. If a substance melts just above room temperature, it can coat hands or tools, which can turn into a hassle in warm climates. In my early days handling sulfur, its distinct yellow crystals and that ‘rotten egg’ aroma made it impossible to confuse with anything else.
Take water and ethanol. Both clear. Both pour easily. Put a thermometer in each: water boils at 100°C, ethanol starts bubbling off near 78°C. This difference decides which works better as a cleaning solvent or as a base for herbal tinctures. Transparency, color, and state of matter — gas, liquid, or solid — all reveal clues about broader use or storage risks. For example, volatile substances like acetone demand tight lids, not just for safety but also to avoid waste.
Density settles another daily issue: Does a drop sink or float? I once learned this first-hand pouring oil into water. These visible, testable traits help set the boundaries for safety, mixing, and application. Viscosity stands out, too — honey moves slow, gasoline runs fast. In a chemical manufacturing plant, fluidity decides how pumps and pipes get chosen.
All the physical quirks matter, but what happens when you push a chemical? Chemical properties steer reactivity, flammability, and stability. Think sodium tossed in water: a spark and a bang. Reactivity isn’t just a classroom demo, it’s a hazard in warehouses, especially with compounds that oxidize or corrode. A friend handling old jars of nitric acid once saw rusted lids and stained shelves — clear reminders that chemical storage isn’t guesswork.
Acidity and basicity decide much of life, from how cleaners strip grime to how medicine absorbs in your stomach. A simple pH test can reveal whether a compound will burn skin or help balance a soup recipe. Some compounds break down at light or heat exposure. Hydrogen peroxide loses its oomph if left in sunlight. This seems simple, but I messed up a batch of solution in undergrad by leaving a cap loose near a window. Chemical stability shapes shelf life everywhere from hospital supply rooms to home bathrooms.
Oxidation states, complex-sounding as they are, drive reactions in batteries or even the rust on playground swings. Pair this with solubility — whether a compound dissolves in water or oil — and you get the blueprint for how something moves through air, soil, plants, or the human body. Skillful handling stems from these details. More than once, labs have needed to tweak cleaning methods or switch reagents after discovering unexpected insolubility or unwanted byproducts.
Knowing these properties, from melting points to chemical reactivity, means more than ticking boxes on a datasheet. They guide safe practices, smart storage, and responsible disposal. Agencies like OSHA and the EPA use this knowledge to shape workplace rules and environmental standards. Reliable data also matters for regulatory approval, supply chain decisions, and public reassurance.
Better awareness and routine testing cut down on accidents, reduce costs, and make innovation safer at every scale. Sharing results, refining safety training, and encouraging curiosity — these actions help keep science and industry both practical and responsible. If every workplace followed that approach, recalls, exposure scares, and careless waste would shrink fast, benefiting everybody down the line.
Open a bottle of N-(2-Methoxyethyl)-N-methylpyrrolidinium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide, and you’ll spot clear liquid but you won’t see the dangers waiting inside. This ionic liquid makes batteries perform better and can offer real potential in electrochemistry labs. At the same time, its chemical nature hides some risks. Storing chemicals like this one reminds me of old grad school days, when a crowded bench and sloppy labeling led someone to wonder why their container looked frosted. Turned out, moisture crept in, changed the chemical, and the work got tossed.
This compound hates water. If you let a bit of humidity inside that bottle, you’ll see hydrolysis, which can produce hazardous sulfonyl fluoride gases. Some believe screwing the cap back on counts as safe enough, but I’ve watched disaster follow that shortcut. Live lessons in any lab show that even quick contact with air shortens shelf life. You reach for what you thought was high-purity stock only to discover breakdown—now your experiment fails, but worse, you may breathe some nasty byproducts.
From this, it’s clear: Store the bottle tightly closed. Desiccators with quality silica gel come to the rescue here. Argon or nitrogen lines don’t count as overkill. In my experience, the extra effort to fill the headspace or handle transfers in a glovebox keeps everyone healthier. It might sound obsessive, but I’d rather reseal a bottle two times than discover some bitter, corrosive degradation the next morning.
Labs overheat in summer and chill in winter. Stuffing all reagents onto the same shelf tempts fate. This ionic liquid likes it cool—refrigerators set below 10°C give you months of safe storage. I learned that lesson after watching brown streaks creep through old, unprotected bottles in a warm storeroom. A jam-packed cold room can work, but don’t set containers on the floor or right under the fan, since condensation may build up, inviting leaks.
Dry, cool, stable storage benches or refrigerator shelves serve best. Definitely avoid direct sunlight. UV light can speed up decomposition, taking your investment and future work with it. Labels fade faster in bright rooms, too, so mark every container with a clear, waterproof tag.
Late nights fiddling with chemicals taught me: Never depend just on “store in a cool, dry place” as advice. Training and checklists protect teams and keep labs running. If you’re the new person, ask the senior chemist for a five-minute rundown and peek at the chemical’s data sheet often. Cluttered storage blocks access in an emergency, so clear space and avoid stacking containers. Leaks ruin more than experiments; a spill with this class of liquid eats straight through skin and releases vapors fast. Double containment—secondary trays and spill kits—count for more than a fancy fume hood if something falls or drips.
Science doesn’t happen in isolation. In my career, safe storage became a group promise, not just a personal checklist. I found that open communication makes the difference. A few bad incidents, plus some honest conversations about mistakes, taught every team member to take chemical storage seriously. It isn’t just the safety officer’s job. Storage practices matter because chemicals like N-(2-methoxyethyl)-N-methylpyrrolidinium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide prove less forgiving than people expect, but good habits and solid teamwork prevent the worst headaches—and much bigger accidents.
Lithium-ion batteries keep so many of our devices humming along, from smartphones to electric vehicles. The performance of these batteries hinges on the chemistry of the electrolyte sitting between the electrodes. Whenever a new compound gets considered for use, the key question arises: can it live up to the job, or will it cause trouble down the road?
In the lab, a promising compound often looks like a game-changer. In practice, things get tricky. Solvents, salts, and additives all play a role, and even small chemical tweaks can lead to unexpected headaches. One risk stands out: reactivity. A compound that reacts with lithium metal or the graphite anode might trigger rapid electrode degradation, gassing, or even fires. Safety isn't just a marketing slogan here; it rests on basic reactions between these chemicals.
I once saw engineers try a new flame-retardant additive. Early tests promised slower combustion, but after a couple dozen charge cycles, cells ballooned and bulged. It turned out that the additive reacted with the lithium salt, releasing gas and reducing capacity. That's the kind of compatibility clash no one wants to see. Real-world performance and cycle life only stay solid if every ingredient plays nicely with lithium, salts like LiPF6, and common solvents such as ethylene carbonate or dimethyl carbonate.
Heat builds up during rapid charging or deep discharging. Sensitive compounds can break down or cause side reactions, especially at high or low temperatures. The gold standard compound needs to soldier on with minimal breakdown, whether sitting in a hot car or in winter chill. Any batch that turns acidic or catalyzes salt decomposition risks battery failure and expensive recalls.
Data from battery scientists shows that adding too many unfamiliar compounds tends to backfire. Most commercial electrolytes stick to a family of molecules proven secure over thousands of cycles. Peer-reviewed research calls out hundreds of tested combinations, but only a few get out of the lab. Every promising newcomer still faces a gauntlet: stability testing, cycling down to zero, cranking up past full, exposure to moisture and air.
I’ve seen battery startups burn months on a “wonder compound,” only to shelve it when metal parts corroded or voltages started drifting. You can’t fudge results here; a little instability shows up fast.
Industry and regulators keep a close watch. Automobile and grid power companies follow international standards (including UN38.3 and IEC 62133) for a reason. The best compounds show clean preliminary toxicity results, resist ignition, and hold up under real-world use. Production scale tests matter just as much as benchtop ones, particularly for worker safety and environmental release.
Engineers often lean on decades-old carbonate solvents, then tweak them with additives like vinylene carbonate to boost life or reduce gassing. High-throughput screening, machine learning, and years of practical experience help sort likely winners from the fizzlers. In my view, the future rests on rigorous pre-market testing, transparency in reporting failures, and blending science with hard-won lessons from the field. A compound that disappoints in one setting might shine as a secondary additive elsewhere.
Finding that sweet spot of performance, safety, and cost still requires hands-on trial by fire. Only then will a new compound truly earn its place inside the batteries powering our lives.
