Electrochemical behavior of europium (III) in N-butyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide

N-butyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (BMPyNTf2) was synthesized and characterized by CHNS elemental analysis, 1H and 13C NMR and IR spectroscopy. Europium tris[bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide] (Eu(NTf2)3) was prepared and studied for the electrochemical behavior of Eu(III) in BMPyNTf2 at glassy carbon and stainless steel working electrodes at 298–373 K by cyclic voltammetry, chronopotentiometry and chronoamperometry. Cyclic voltammogram of Eu(III) in BMPyNTf2 consisted of a quasi-reversible cathodic wave at −0.45 V (vs. Fc/Fc+, 373 K), which could be attributed to the reduction of Eu(III) to Eu(II) and an irreversible wave at −2.79 V (vs. Fc/Fc+) due to reduction of Eu(II) to Eu(0). The diffusion coefficient of Eu(III) in BMPyNTf2 was determined to be in the range of ∼10−7 cm2 s−1 by various electrochemical methods and the charge transfer rate constant was determined to be ∼10−5 cm s−1 by cyclic voltammetry.