Anthranilic acid (2-amino benzoic acid), a medicinally important compound, is derived from indigo dye (extracted from Indigofera tinctoria) exhibits potential to form complexes with transition metals. We have used sodium salt of anthranilic acid as anion to prepare a new, C2-symmetrical, third-generation, hydrophobic task-specifc Ionic Liquid (IL); dioctylimidazolium anthranilate [DOIM][AN] and successfully investigated its ability to selectively extract Co2+ and/or Ni2+ from their aqueous solutions. Co2+ and Ni2+, both exhibit similar physical and chemical properties. The IL showed good efciency in the separation of Co2+ and Ni2+ from their aqueous solutions within fve minutes at room temperature. The IL was recycled under basic conditions and reused. The extraction efciencies were determined through Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). The characterization of IL was done through Electron Spray Ionization Mass spectroscopy (ESI–MS), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), and Infrared spectroscopic (IR) techniques. The rheometric analysis revealed that IL has Newtonian-type behavior.
