Renewable imidazolium zwitterions as platform molecules for the synthesis if ionic liquids and materials Following the principles of green chemistry a simple and efficient synthesis of functionalised imidazolium zwitterionic compounds from renewable resources was developed based on a modified one pot Debus Radziszewski reaction. The combination of different carbohydrate derived 1 2 dicarbonyl compounds and amino acids is a simple way to modulate the properties and introduce different functionalities. A representative compound was assessed as an acid catalyst and converted into acidic ionic liquids by reaction with several strong acids. The reactivity of the double carboxylic functionality was explored by esterification with long and short chain alcohols as well as functionalised amines which led to the straightforward formation of surfactant like molecules or bifunctional esters and amides. One of these di esters is currently being investigated for the synthesis of poly(ionic liquids). The functionalisation of cellulose with one of the bifunctional esters was investigated and preliminary tests employing it for the functionalisation o…