Liquids

1. A process for dissolving an organic, inorganic, or biological material, the process comprising contacting the organic, inorganic, or biological material with an ionic liquid, the ionic liquid comprising an anion and a cation characterised in that the cation is a tertiary nitrogen-containing cation of the formula (I)

N + HRR′R″  (I)

wherein:

R is a hydrocarbyl group optionally interrupted by one or more ether or thioether linkages, and substituted with one or more substituents selected from nitrogen-containing functional groups, alkenyl, alkoxy, carbonyl and carboxyl groups; or from thiol, alkythio, sulphonyl, thiocyanate, isothiocyanate, azido, hydrazino, halogen, boronate and silyl groups;

R′ and R″, which may be the same or different, each represent H or a hydrocarbyl group optionally interrupted by one or more ether or thioether linkages, and optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from nitrogen-containing functional groups, alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, hydroxy, carbonyl and carboxyl groups; or from thiol, alkythio, sulphonyl, thiocyanate, isothiocyanate, azido, hydrazino, halogen, boronate and silyl groups; and

any two or three of R, R′ and R″ may be joined together with the N to form a cyclic group.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein at least one of R, R′ or R″ is substituted with a nitrogen-containing functional group, and wherein one or more such nitrogen-containing functional group is a basic nitrogen-containing functional group.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein at least one of R, R′ or R″ is substituted with a nitrogen-containing functional group, and wherein one or more such nitrogen-containing functional group is selected from nitrile, nitro, amino and substituted amino.

4. The process of claim 3 , wherein one or more substituted amino group is selected from mono- or di-alkylamino and alkyamido.

5. The process of claim 4 , wherein one or more dialkylamino group is a dimethylamino group.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein one or more of R, R′ or R″ is substituted with an alkoxy group.

7. The process of claim 6 , wherein one or more alkoxy group is a methoxy group.

8. The process of claim 6 , wherein one or more of R, R′ or R″ is interrupted by an ether linkage.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein one or both of R′ or R″ is an unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the anion is selected from the group consisting of halogenated inorganic anions, nitrates, sulphates, phosphates, carbonates, sulphonates, alkylsulphonates, carboxylates, and alkylcarboxylates.

11. The process of claim 10 , wherein the alkyl substituent of the alkylsulphonates or the alkylcarboxylates is substituted at any position with alkenyl, alkoxy, alkeneoxy, aryl, arylalkyl, aryloxy, amino, aminoalkyl, thio, thioalkyl, hydroxyl, hydroxyalkyl, carbonyl, oxoalkyl, carboxyl, carboxyalkyl or halide.

12. The process of claim 10 , wherein the anion is chosen from bis(trifluoromethylsulphonyl)imide, carbonate, hydrogen carbonate, sulphate, hydrogen sulphate, silicate, phosphate, hydrogen phosphate, dihydrogen phosphate, metaphosphate, methanesulphonate, trifluoromethanesulphonate, ethylenediaminetetraacetate, chloride, bromide, iodide, hexafluorophosphate, tetrafluoroborate, trifluoroacetate, pentafluoropropanoate, heptafluorobutanoate, oxalate, formate, acetate, propanoate, butanoate, pentanoate, hexanoate, heptanoate, octanoate, nonanoate, decanoate, benzoate, benezenedicarboxylate, benzenetricarboxylate, benzenetetracarboxylate, chlorobenzoate, fluorobenzoate, pentachlorobenzoate, pentafluorobenzoate, salicylate, glycolate, lactate, pantothenate, tartrate, hydrogen tartrate, mandelate, crotonate, malate, pyruvate, succinate, citrate, fumarate, phenylacetate, and an organic carboxylate.