Controlling the aqueous miscibility of ionic liquids: aqueous biphasic systems of water-miscible ionic liquids and water-structuring salts for recycle, metathesis, and separations.

Hydrophilic ionic liquids can be salted-out and concentrated from aqueous solution upon addition of kosmotropic salts forming aqueous biphasic systems as illustrated by the phase behavior of mixtures of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C4mim]Cl) and K3PO4.