Solvation Properties Ionic liquids are excellent solvents because they are weakly-coordinating, and thus don't interfere explicitly with the chemical reaction, in this sense ionic liquids are "spectators". However, many reactions proceed through charged or highly polarised transition states or intermediates. Ionic liquids, because they are ions, are able to stabilise these states, lowering the energy of and facilitating the reaction. Ionic liquids can also be used to control product ratios, and even enantiomeric selectivity via preferential stabilisation of particular chemical species.