New 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium (EMI) salts [EMI][C(CN)
3] and [EMI][Ag(CN)
2] were prepared and characterized.The C(CN)
3 salt has a melting point at -11
C and shows a low viscosity (18 cP) and a high ionic conductivity (1.8× 10
-2 S cm
-1) at room temperature. This conductivity is less than that of [EMI][N(CN)
2] salt (2.7 × 10
-2 S cm
-1),possibly due to the larger molecular weight of the anion. The first EMI salt containing Ag(I) complexes [EMI][Ag(CN)
2] has a higher melting point of 73
C. In the crystal, the C-H···
interionic interactions between cationsconstruct zigzag chains in the cationic two-dimensional layer. Close Ag··Ag interionic contacts of 3.226(1) Å wereobserved in the one-dimensional anionic chain, and the relatively high melting point among the EMI salts with amonoanion appears to be governed essentially by these direct Ag···Ag interactions.