Ionic liquids, especially those based on the 1,3-dialkylimidazolium cation, with a large range of liquid phase, negligible vapour pressure, low viscosity and high thermal and chemical stability are emerging as a new class of `green' solvents for extraction and separation processes, organic synthesis and catalysis. The main milestones reached in the last two years, on the use of ionic liquids in green technologies, are reviewed.
solvents; catalysis; molten salts; ionic liquids; clean technologies
