An ionic liquid compound, comprising: an anion; and a cation attached to a phosphorus moiety according to the formula: wherein: A is a CAT + or Ri; B is a CAT + or R 2; CAT + is a pyrrolidinium, piperidinium, azepanium, onium, sulfonium, phosphonium, imidazolium, pyridinium or a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring having 1 to 3 heteroatoms as ring members comprising nitrogen, oxygen, silicon or sulfur; R 1 and R 2 are independently a C 1 -C 8 alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, alkynyl, alkylsiloxy, silyl, thioether, sulfoxide, azo, amino or silane group, or aryl, phenyl or benzyl, wherein any of the carbon atoms therein are optionally further substituted or hydrogen atoms therein are optionally further replaced with a halide, alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, aryl, alkynyl, alkylsiloxy, phenyl, benzyl, silyl, thioether, sulfoxide, azo, amino or silane; and X is (a) a linker, comprising a C 1 -C 8 alkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, alkoxylene, ester, carbonylene, phenylene, thioether, sulfoxide, azo or arylene group, wherein any of the carbon atoms therein are optionally further substituted or hydrogen atoms therein are optionally further replaced with a halide; (b) O, S, N, or C; or (c) O, S, N, or C attached to the linker. an anion; and a cation attached to a phosphorus moiety according to the formula: wherein: A is a CAT + or Ri; B is a CAT + or R 2; CAT + is a pyrrolidinium, piperidinium, azepanium, onium, sulfonium, phosphonium, imidazolium, pyridinium or a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring having 1 to 3 heteroatoms as ring members comprising nitrogen, oxygen, silicon or sulfur; R 1 and R 2 are independently a C 1 -C 8 alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, alkynyl, alkylsiloxy, silyl, thioether, sulfoxide, azo, amino or silane group, or aryl, phenyl or benzyl, wherein any of the carbon atoms therein are optionally further substituted or hydrogen atoms therein are optionally further replaced with a halide, alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, aryl, alkynyl, alkylsiloxy, phenyl, benzyl, silyl, thioether, sulfoxide, azo, amino or silane; and X is (a) a linker, comprising a C 1 -C 8 alkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, alkoxylene, ester, carbonylene, phenylene, thioether, sulfoxide, azo or arylene group, wherein any of the carbon atoms therein are optionally further substituted or hydrogen atoms therein are optionally further replaced with a halide; (b) O, S, N, or C; or (c) O, S, N, or C attached to the linker. A is a CAT + or Ri; B is a CAT + or R 2; CAT + is a pyrrolidinium, piperidinium, azepanium, onium, sulfonium, phosphonium, imidazolium, pyridinium or a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring having 1 to 3 heteroatoms as ring members comprising nitrogen, oxygen, silicon or sulfur; R 1 and R 2 are independently a C 1 -C 8 alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, alkynyl, alkylsiloxy, silyl, thioether, sulfoxide, azo, amino or silane group, or aryl, phenyl or benzyl, wherein any of the carbon atoms therein are optionally further substituted or hydrogen atoms therein are optionally further replaced with a halide, alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, aryl, alkynyl, alkylsiloxy, phenyl, benzyl, silyl, thioether, sulfoxide, azo, amino or silane; and X is (a) a linker, comprising a C 1 -C 8 alkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, alkoxylene, ester, carbonylene, phenylene, thioether, sulfoxide, azo or arylene group, wherein any of the carbon atoms therein are optionally further substituted or hydrogen atoms therein are optionally further replaced with a halide; (b) O, S, N, or C; or (c) O, S, N, or C attached to the linker.