1-Hexyl-2,3-Dimethylimidazolium Bis((Trifluoromethyl)Sulfonyl)Imide often finds a place in the modern toolkit of chemical research, materials science, and advanced energy projects. It has drawn attention for its broad range of uses and crucial physical properties that offer something rare in today’s world of specialty chemicals. This ionic liquid is known by a variety of synonyms across the industry, yet its performance defines it more than any single label. Its systematic name points to two methyl groups and a hexyl chain attached to an imidazolium ring, balanced by the heavy, highly fluorinated bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide anion. As someone who has seen how raw materials determine the success of a process, I notice experts looking for solvents and materials that are tough, reliable, and easy to handle—characteristics often delivered by this compound.
In the lab, you can spot 1-Hexyl-2,3-Dimethylimidazolium Bis((Trifluoromethyl)Sulfonyl)Imide by its often colorless or pale yellow liquid form, but it can also be found as flakes, solid, or powder, and occasionally as pearls. As temperature falls, certain mixtures with this compound enter a crystalline state. For most, density stands out as a sign of quality and concentration; this one often comes with a density near 1.3 g/cm³ at room temperature, and it mixes easily with materials ranging from organic solvents to water. That means researchers get predictable results, whether mixing up a fresh batch of electrolyte, or blending for separation in extraction processes. Its high thermal and electrochemical stability allows it to function across a wide range of industrial applications, from battery electrolytes to heat transfer fluids. The structure, combining a non-volatile cation and the large, weakly coordinating bis((trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl)imide anion, ensures a low vapor pressure and a wide liquid range. This can matter a lot in projects where purity and performance mean the difference between a reliable result and a wasted afternoon.
The formula for 1-Hexyl-2,3-Dimethylimidazolium Bis((Trifluoromethyl)Sulfonyl)Imide looks complicated on paper: C13H23F6N3O4S2. The cationic half brings the imidazolium ring with two methyl and one hexyl group, giving it the kind of flexibility and stability chemists respect. The anion packs a heavy punch, with fluorinated sulfonyl groups lending both the stability and the ability to remain liquid at temperatures where others have already solidified or decomposed. This unique structural combination enables it to act as a solvent, an electrolyte, or even as a transfer medium for rare chemical reactions. Many energy storage teams rely on this reliability, knowing a change in the raw material’s makeup can derail months of testing. A material with such enduring flexibility stands up to the demands of research again and again.
As everyone in the supply chain knows, shipping and importing rare chemicals involves documentation—especially with international trade on the rise. The HS Code helps move this product across borders, typically found under 2933.39 for heterocyclic compounds. Safety often comes up during production and lab handling. While marketed as a safe alternative to flammable or volatile solvents, it still requires care: direct skin contact or ingestion can cause harm, and proper labeling remains essential. Data sheets from suppliers highlight hazards such as possible respiratory irritation. Gloves, lab coats, and eye protection all come standard on my bench when I handle materials like this, because even small exposures can add up if proper care falls through the cracks. Handling any raw chemical brings the responsibility to protect both people and the spaces in which we work. Disposal procedures call for expert consultation, since water systems everywhere feel the impact when highly fluorinated organic chemicals escape containment. Firms looking to use this compound at scale should invest in closed systems, robust storage tanks, and proper staff training.
This compound’s adaptability has made it a mainstay in advanced material synthesis, electrolytes for supercapacitor and battery systems, separation membranes, and as a reaction medium in organic synthesis. The push for cleaner, safer solvents in pharmaceuticals and electronics places higher demand each year. The raw materials for its manufacture—high purity imidazolium and high-grade bis((trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl)imide—require strict quality controls, since trace water or impurities sabotage many of its intended uses. As development sharpens its focus on sustainable and less hazardous materials, future generations of ionic liquids may draw from research into compounds like this one, learning from the challenges and tradeoffs in its adoption. Companies with experience in specialty chemicals know to invest in reliable supply chains, since even slight disruptions in upstream sources can delay entire projects.
Debate over the use of perfluorinated substances has reached a peak as more attention falls on their environmental persistence. 1-Hexyl-2,3-Dimethylimidazolium Bis((Trifluoromethyl)Sulfonyl)Imide, while less hazardous than many traditional organic solvents, shares some of these concerns due to its fluorinated component. Regulatory agencies continue to track and assess long-term risks from substances like this in groundwater and air. Research efforts focus on developing ionic liquids with biodegradable or less persistent anions, without compromising on performance. Designers of new chemicals and those working in industrial settings need to weigh the value of high-performing legacy materials against their environmental footprint, asking what paths offer real improvement and which merely shift problems from one location to another. Pursuing materials with safer life cycles enables progress that endures beyond the next product cycle. Making room for substitutes—such as ionic liquids based on more benign sulfonate or phosphate anions—demonstrates a commitment to both technology and public health.
