Liquids that consist of a mixture of an alcohol and either an amidine or a guanidine have been developed toswitch from a low-polarity form to a high-polarity ionic liquid upon treatment with CO
2 at atmospheric pressure.Treatment with N
2 and/or mild heat (50-60
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C) reverses the process. These liquids can be used as switchablesolvents to dissolve and then precipitate a solute or to dissolve reagents for a chemical synthesis and thenprecipitate the product.