Peculiar Concentration Dependence of H/D Exchange Reaction in 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium Tetrafluoroborate-D2O Mixtures

We have investigated the H/D exchange reaction between heavy water and an ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([bmim][BF4]), throughout the whole concentration region as a function of D2O mol% at room temperature. We expected that the extent of the H/D reaction would increase linearly with increasing content of D2O, but the results show an extended N-shaped behavior having a small maximum at around 40 mol% and the reaction becomes very slow at a specific concentration around 80 mol%. We found that this non-linear concentration dependence correlates with the pD dependence of the solutions.